GREENWOOD — Four area residents were among the 313 graduates to receive degrees from Lander University at the university’s spring commencement ceremonies in April.
Jim Shore, an award-winning S.C. artist, delivered the keynote address to a full house at Lander’s Horne Arena. During the ceremony, Shore was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree, along with John Fulp Jr., owner and president of Vanguard Industries and former president of Abney Mills in Greenwood.
One hundred and one graduates received honors at the ceremony. Honors included summa cum laude, magna cum laude and cum laude. Graduates also received Lander’s Golden L award, which is given to students who have earned a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 in the last 60 hours of instruction through Lander University.
Blake Roche of Whitmire graduated with magna cum laude honors, a distinction accorded to students with a cumulative grade point average of 3.75-3.89, and received the Golden L. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology.
The following area residents also graduated from Lander:
• Brittany Gist, Union, Bachelor of Science, Sociology
• Rebecca Scofield, Union, Bachelor of Science, Visual Arts
• Vincent Smith, Union, Bachelor of Science, Sociology













