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The University of North Georgia (´óÏó´«Ã½) honored more than 300 graduates in its summer commencement ceremony on Aug. 4 in the Convocation Center at ´óÏó´«Ã½'s Dahlonega Campus. ´óÏó´«Ã½'s summer graduates earned 68 different degrees and averaged a 3.2 GPA.

´óÏó´«Ã½ President Michael Shannon, who took office on July 1, served as the keynote speaker. Drawing from author Jordan Rayner, he encouraged graduates to recognize their strong base of a ´óÏó´«Ã½ education, orient their perspective and "enter the epic" through boldness.

"Don't doubt yourself. You have more than what it takes," Shannon said. "Fear is a liar. Be bold."

Shannon also highlighted several graduates to reinforce the power of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ experience.

Alicia Holman earned an associate degree in art through courses at ´óÏó´«Ã½'s Oconee Campus. A mother of three and the owner of Twisted Moon Studios in Bogart, Georgia, Holman is already quite accomplished. Her degree from ´óÏó´«Ã½ is the result of her pursuit of a dream deferred.

Holman, a Monroe, Georgia native, plans to work toward her master's degree, but not before helping her 17-year-old daughter graduate from high school. She says it is her family that inspired her to take on the risk of returning to school at 41.

"I sat on the dream and kept developing it, knowing I wanted to do something with art therapy and it requires education," Holman said. "Watching my kids, especially my oldest, face their own challenges and risks inspires me to overcome my own."

Attending ´óÏó´«Ã½ and graduating twice is a feat 2nd Lt. Joseph Stover just accomplished. Earning a master’s degree in international affairs, the Army officer was also a dad and a husband while in the Corps of Cadets. As a prior-enlisted Army soldier, Stover credits his wife Ebony with inspiring him to even take the leap to return to school at 27 years old.

He shared he is excited to take a break and spend some time with family after graduation before taking on his new assignment in Korea. The leader shared that his time as a veteran in ´óÏó´«Ã½’s Corps of Cadets has helped him lead from the front while balancing his schoolwork and personal life. His biggest advice is a reminder that graduation is attainable.

"To all the people who feel like schoolwork is overwhelming, it can be done. You can do it. You just have to be willing to make sacrifices and prioritize," Stover said.

Anh Tran graduated with a degree in marketing with a concentration in digital marketing, while minoring in graphic design. Born and raised in Gainesville, Georgia, Tran is a first-generation American with her parents hailing from Vietnam. She began her ´óÏó´«Ã½ journey at the Gainesville Campus before finishing at the Dahlonega Campus, where she got involved as an orientation leader and was president of ENACTUS, a social entrepreneurship organization.

Tran won a Gilman Scholarship and the Fund for Education Abroad Scholarship to fund a virtual internship in Germany and a study abroad in the United Kingdom. She shared that her time studying abroad has her wanting to return for another amazing experience. Eager to continue her education and work in her field, Tran is developing a website to showcase her portfolio with aspirations of attending Newcastle University in the United Kingdom for graduate school. Forever grateful for her time as a student at ´óÏó´«Ã½, Tran shared she learned a lot.

"Never be afraid to try new things and reach out to various people. Seek out opportunities. ´óÏó´«Ã½ taught me there are always scholarships and opportunities for everybody out there," Tran said. "Just go for it. You'll be one step closer to where yo