Etowah County: East Broad, Valley Street and Wallace Drive campuses in Gadsden, Ala.
Gadsden State awards record number of degrees, certificates
Gadsden State Community College set a record at its commencement ceremony on May 11, 2023 at the Cherokee Arena in Centre. There were 535 students who received 807 credentials, including associate degrees, certificates and short-term certificates. This is the largest number of credentials conferred by the College in a single semester during this millennium.
“This is an exciting time for our College,” said Dr. Kathy Murphy, president. “We have looked at the numbers dating back as far as 2000, and our Spring Semester 2023 graduates have earned more credentials than any other class. We are honored to have educated and trained so many people in our community who will be a benefit to Alabama’s workforce.”
In addition to setting records, students were recognized and honored for academic achievements with traditional cords signaling the level of honor they achieved. Students earning associate degrees with a 3.9-4.0 GPA received a gold cord for being a summa cum laude graduate; a red cord for those earning 3.7-3.89 GPA for magna cum laude designation; and a red and gold cord for cum laude graduates earning a 3.5-3.69 GPA. Students who received a certificate and earned at least a 3.5 GPA graduated “with distinction” and wore a designated red and black cord.
“What an amazing accomplishment for those students who maintained admirable grade point averages,” Murphy said. “They are to be commended for their hard work and dedication to their education and training.”
