[caption id="attachment_604" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="First cohort of Saturday Business Degree students to graduate."]<a href="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Schools-First-cohort-of-Saturday-Business-Degree-students-to-graduate.-.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-604" title="Schools--First cohort of Saturday Business Degree students to graduate." src="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Schools-First-cohort-of-Saturday-Business-Degree-students-to-graduate.--300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>[/caption]

On a picturesque Lowcountry evening, the University of South Carolina Beaufort celebrated the largest graduating class of 272 students in USCB history, alongside over 2,800 family members and friends who eagerly cheered them on.<!--more-->

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Prior to the ceremony, one of the first Studio Art graduates, Sanders Black, presented prints he designed of the Beaufort College building to the honorary degree recipients, Ambassador Karen Hughes, and Paula &amp; Bill Bethea.

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Ambassador Karen Hughes delivered the Commencement speech, encouraging the new graduates to have passion for what they do, align their priorities, and always maintain a broad perspective.

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USCB celebrated its 1,000<sup>th</sup> graduate, along with many <em>firsts</em>: The first class of students to earn Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees, and the first group of graduating Studio Art students, and the first cohort of Saturday Business Degree students to graduate. This was also the last group of MAT students to graduate, due to state budget cuts.

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Harris Pastides, President of the University of South Carolina presided.

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