Thank you, Southern State Community College

Given that Southern State Community College provides an affordable, quality education for five southern Ohio counties – Adams, Brown, Clinton, Highland and Fayette – I suspect that other parents have celebrated more than once on commencement night.

I hope so.

On Friday, May 2, Pam and I celebrated for the third time, as Colin (SSCC class of 2014) joined his sisters, Caitlin (SSCC class of 2006) and Meghan (SSCC class of 2007) as graduates of this outstanding community college.

Southern State Community College held its 39th commencement exercises Friday evening at the college's Patriot Center on the Central Campus in Hillsboro.

Dr. Ryan McCall, SSCC vice president of academic affairs, was the 2014 commence speaker.

Dr. McCall spoke about working on the family farm and being the first in his family to earn a college degree. He also shared the story of former U.S. vice presidential candidate and Medal of Honor recipient Admiral James Stockdale, whose faith helped him survive as a prisoner of war.

(On a personal note, a few years ago I recommended Dr. McCall as the next president of the college.)

On May 2, SSCC President Dr. Kevin Boys said to the class of 2014: "On behalf of Southern State Community College, I offer you my warmest congratulations and remind you that you are Southern State. Take pleasure in both the end and the beginning. You have entered the realm of lifelong learning and Southern State is proud to have been part of your journey."

One of the first things Dr. Boys said to the class of 2014 was this: Let those people in your family who have helped you know that their help was appreciated. (I think Dr. Boys actually instructed the class to give their parents a hug. Colin hugged his mother.)

Dr. Boys then asked all of the parents and families of the class of 2014 to stand and be recognized by the soon-to-be graduates. It was a nice gesture and, judging from our seating area, one that was much appreciated, as at least 50 percent of those in attendance rose in unison at the Patriot Center.

This is, after all, a community college.

On May 2, Dr. Boys, with SSCC Board of Trustees members Chair Doug Boedeker, Vice Chair Mike Pell, Larry Anderson, Michelle Cimis, Paul Hall, Leilani Popp, Donald Moore and Vicki Wilson, awarded degrees to the more than 400 graduates of the class of 2014.

The recipient of one of the final degrees of the evening received the loudest ovation, as 76-year-old former Hillsboro Mayor and Greenfield City Manager Betty Bishop received her college diploma and a hug from Dr. Boys.

I was pleased to be one of the first to congratulate after she received her degree. At my request, Betty graciously agreed to pose for a photo with my son after the commencement ceremonies. She encouraged Colin to continue his education and offered her assistance in any way.

Thank you, Betty.

Two years ago, in a March 23, 2012 letter to Gov. John Kasich in which I submitted my resignation from the Southern State Community College Board of Trustees, I wrote:

"Through the Ohio Post-Secondary Enrollment Option Program (the absolute best thing that Ohio lawmakers have ever done for middle-income families, so don't mess with it!), my two daughters, Caitlin and Meghan, graduated from Southern State prior to graduating from North Adams High School. They are among the youngest siblings to have graduated with associate's degrees from SSCC and bachelor's degrees Wilmington College. It is my hope that their younger brother becomes the fourth member of this family to attend SSCC."

Colin did, in fact, attend Southern State. He graduated magna cum laude on May 2. He has accepted a scholarship from Wilmington College, where he will continue his education later this year.

While Southern State Community College provides academic opportunities for all students, it also does something that larger colleges and universities do not. Southern State has a much more personal touch. Students actually get to know not only their classroom professors but the college president.

My oldest daughter used to come home from class and announce that former president "Dr. Dukes came over and talked to me today…"

Meghan said the same thing about former President Dr. Sherry Stout.

Colin, on a lesser note, this year found the email of current President Dr. Boys… Let's just leave it at this, after my son's initial correspondence to the college president, he was quick to apologize.

Dr. Boys, to his credit, referenced Gov. John Kasich's 1970 letter to President Richard Nixon, in which the young Kasich asked Ohio State University President Novice Fawcett, who had an appointment with President Nixon, to deliver.

John J. Miller (see: http://www.heymiller.com/2014/04/gov-john-kasich/) describes that encounter 44 years ago as follows:

"A few weeks after arriving on campus, Kasich learned that OSU’s president, Novice Fawcett, had an appointment with President Nixon. Kasich asked Fawcett to deliver a letter to Nixon. It outlined a few of Kasich’s political concerns and concluded this way: 'P.S. If you’d like to discuss this letter further, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’ll make myself available.' Nixon wrote back and invited Kasich to the White House. They met for 20 minutes.

"'I would go on to spend 18 years in Congress, and if you go back and add up all the time I spent alone in the Oval Office with various presidents, you’ll see it doesn’t come close to those 20 minutes,'” wrote Kasich in "'Stand for Something,' his 2006 book."

As I recall, I wrote to Dr. Boys that my son is not John Kasich. Kevin laughed.

With all due respect to the former and current Ohio State University presidents, I am willing to wager that a higher percentage of Southern State students knows their college president.

That's one of the many things that make Southern State special. And for working-class, middle-income families, SSCC provides an affordable option toward a bachelor's degree. Without this community college, many students and their families wouldn't even consider a four-year degree at most Ohio colleges and universities.

By keeping tuition within reach and by ensuring transfer credits to places like Ohio State, UC, OU, Wilmington College, etc., Southern State Community College does a tremendous service to these families in its five-county region.

I sincerely hope that the board, administration and faculty continue to provide this unique academic opportunity for southern Ohio students. Please know that your efforts are appreciated.

As a father of three SSCC graduates, please accept my sincere thanks.

Rory Ryan is publisher and editor of The Highland County Press.