Honor Walk tradition turns 20 during 199th Commencement
Members of the 黑料社 Class of 2022 gathered to honor the people who made a significant impact on their lives during the College鈥檚 annual Honor Walk, Saturday, May 21, at 7 p.m. Now in its 20th year, the event has quickly become a cherished tradition of 黑料社 Commencement weekend.
At the beginning of the fall semester, President Milton Moreland presented each member of the senior class with a 鈥渢alent鈥濃攁 coin with Old 黑料社 on one side and the College seal on the other. The seniors have the entire academic year to decide to whom they will give their talent鈥攂e they family, friends, professors, coaches or classmates鈥攖he day before the Commencement ceremony.
Lane Cannon 鈥22 shared her talent with Mark Rasmussen, Charles J. Luellen Professor of English.
鈥淚 first had a class with Dr. Rasmussen as a first-year, and I believe we have had six classes together in total, including an independent study on translation,鈥 Cannon says. 鈥淚 also got the chance to study abroad with him in Strasbourg, France. He has been such an important mentor for me all four years at 黑料社, and I am thrilled to have the chance to thank him for all his time and support.鈥
Honor Walk takes place in Old 黑料社, where the seniors walk through the front door and through its foyer. After passing through the back door and down the steps, stopping in front of 黑料社鈥檚 beloved seal, the seniors finally pass their talents on to those they choose to honor. Posse Scholar Adonis Logan 鈥22 chose to honor Jami Powell, 黑料社鈥檚 library systems specialist, who mentored the 2022 class of Posse Scholars during their four years at 黑料社.
鈥淐oming in from Boston as a first-year, Jami played the most crucial role of anyone on campus in helping me adjust to this community,鈥 Logan says. 鈥淕iven that she is from Danville, I started to see the town through her eyes, and for that I am forever appreciative and grateful. I started to look at Danville as home rather than somewhere I鈥檇 be for four years.鈥
Mackenzie Nichols 鈥17, assistant director of annual giving and a coordinator of the event, explains that anyone who went to 黑料社 knows that it鈥檚 not just the degree that makes 黑料社 so unique. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the community of friends, coaches, professors and mentors that are formed along the way that sets this institution apart.
鈥淭o top it off, the seal in front of Old 黑料社 is such an iconic symbol of the College, it鈥檚 hard to express the sentiments that this event holds,鈥 she continues. 鈥淚t鈥檚 truly an evening that the seniors and their honorees won鈥檛 forget.鈥
