Engineering, business, education grads look to bright futures

Final of six Campbell University commencement ceremonies ends with message of 'achieving the unimaginable'

Susan Lawrence had achieved so much - a small-town Iowa girl who grew up to become a three-star general and the first woman to ever be appointed as chief information officer for the U.S. Army - when a reporter asked her if she ever imagined reaching those heights in her career.

"Without hesitation, in a nanosecond, I said it was unimaginable. Not unlikely. Not difficult. Unimaginable," Lawrence told the nearly 240 graduates of the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business, the School of Education & Human Sciences, the School of Engineering and Adult & Online Education at Campbell University's sixth and final spring commencement ceremony Saturday afternoon. "That answer wasn't humility. It was honesty."

Retired Lt. Gen. Susan Lawrence, a 1979 Campbell graduate, delivered a short, reserved and brilliant commencement address at the largest of Campbell's six ceremonies. She presented a message of achieving the unimaginable, no matter how the journey begins.

"For me, there was no blueprint, no checklist [and] no guarantees," she said. "What existed instead were moments, decisions, risks, failures and opportunities that I could not have predicted. And that's exactly my point to you today. If your goals are limited to what you can currently imagine, you are building your future inside the boundaries of your present perspective.

"You haven't met all the people who will change you. You haven't faced all the challenges that will shape you. You haven't discovered the strengths inside you that you carry. So why would you limit your goals to what you already understand?"

Lawrence said she was "sergeant jumping out of those perfectly good airplanes at Fort Bragg" when she received a scholarship to attend Campbell. She said the experience changed her trajectory and offered her a new career path.

"Setting unimaginable goals doesn't mean you wake up tomorrow with a fully formed vision of something impossible," she said. "It means you give yourself permission to grow into the future you cannot yet see."

For Bachelor of Social Work graduate Victoria Blumling of New Bern, the future she couldn't see when she arrived at Campbell was presented in the form of an internship that confirmed her calling to serve children and families through child welfare. It showed her the impact that compassionate care and advocacy can have on people's lives.

"One defining moment for me was understanding that I was a lot stronger and more capable than I ever gave myself credit for," she said. "I am becoming a passionate, dedicated, honest, compassionate and committed social worker."

Her next stop will be the University of Kentucky, where Blumling will seek a graduate degree in social work.

Engineering graduate Dantzler Bonner said her Campbell experience gave her confidence to become a leader after working in several team projects and presenting to large groups. She will seek a master's degree in engineering at Duke University beginning in the fall.

Her advice to incoming freshmen? Don't be afraid.

"It's going to be hard, but you can do it," she says. "You can do anything you put your mind to, and you're going to do great things here. You're going to be a great person."

Fellow engineering graduate Noah Jackson said it was a senior design project this year that pushed him to do things he thought "unimaginable." He said it taught him confidence, patience and how to solve real problems under pressure.

"My time at Campbell was a mix of challenges, growth and figuring things out that ultimately prepared me for what's next," he said. "I'm becoming someone who can handle challenges, adapt quickly, and still get the job done - even if I'm figuring it out along the way."

Lawrence said setting unimaginable goals doesn't mean ignoring reality. It doesn't mean chasing titles or recognitions for their own sake.

"The goal is not the position. The goal is making an impact," she said. "When I became a three-star general, it wasn't the stars that mattered. It was the responsibility that came with them. The opportunity to learn, to lead and to serve my country. To create great change that would outlast my time in uniform.

"And when I stepped into the role of CIO, it wasn't about being the first. It was about ensuring I would not be the last. That's the deeper purpose of unimaginable goals. They don't just transform your life. They expand to what's possible for others. Somewhere out there is an 18-year-old who will look at your journey and think, 'If they did it, maybe I can, too.'"

Her challenge to graduates: stop shrinking goals to fit reality, commit to the process and when you reach that unimaginable goal, don't close the door behind you.

"Success is not just about how far you go. It's about how many people can go further than you did."

Trust and Wealth Management and Master of Business Administration graduate Abigail Croom spoke on behalf of students at commencement as treasurer of the Student Government Association. She said Campbell University's hallmarks of character, initiative and calling had a big impact on her Campbell experience.

"We see the banners on campus, and we hear about the hallmarks in many of our first-year classes, but I believe that we don't realize how much of an impact these three simple words have had on our lives at Campbell," she said. "Character reflects who you are when no one's watching … Initiative is the push that God is here today, and it's about stepping forward even when we don't feel ready. … and calling truly embodies our 'why.' … Discovering our calling at Campbell reminds each of us that wherever we go next, the Lord has called us to be servant leaders and carry out the mission set in our hearts."

Frederick Taylor, a 1992 Campbell graduate and member of the Board of Trustees, congratulated the candidates on behalf of the board and quoted Campbell's new president in his message.

"The world needs principled leaders. The world needs people with character. And in the words of our president, Dr. Downs, the world needs more Campbell. The world needs you."

This week marked the first spring commencement cycle for Campbell University's sixth president, Dr. William M. Downs. Downs took office in July of last year, completing his first full academic season this May. In addressing the students at his final ceremony of the week Saturday, he called Graduation Day one of the best days of the year and the happiest day at any university.

"Graduation is more formally called commencement, because we know that while turning the page on one chapter, you're all truly beginning a new chapter of life. A life of service. A life of purpose. And a life of continued learning," Downs said. "With this new chapter - this new beginning - your future is bright, your path is clear, and your potential is limitless. The world awaits you, and it is our privilege to be with you and send you off in style.

"As graduates, you'll be Campbell University's legacy to the world. For each and every one of you, we give thanks."

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