COLUMBIA, S.C. — Students at the University of South Carolina walked across the stage and into the next steps of their lives.
“I'm really grateful to have gone her, it’s an amazing school with amazing opportunities, so very grateful for my time here,” Carlyn Gibbs said.
Gibbs graduated from the school of public health at USC.
Proud gamecocks tossed their caps as they celebrated the end of an era, but they say they’re excited for the future.
“I just feel like this was something that I really just had to push through to finish because life was liftng for me a lot during this time and I feel like I finished strong so I'm so excited about that,” Ebony Williams said.
Williams graduated with a master's of education in learning design and technologies.
For some of those students, their accomplishments weren’t just for themselves.
"I am a first generation college student," Lana Abunijem said. "I have two older siblings that have also graduated college so it’s a big achievement for all of us and I'm so excited to be able to give my parents this achievement. as a Palestinian again it’s a privilege to be able to do such a thing."
Abunijem graduated also graduated from the school of public health and is on track to becoming a physicians assistant.
Students from the colleges of arts and sciences were recognized for both master and bachelors degrees Monday.
Families helped graduates celebrate their achievements and couldn’t be prouder of them.
“I'm so proud of her, she’s my hero” Heba Abunijem, Lana's mother, said.