Presbyterian College in Clinton officially began its 147th academic year on August 25 with an Opening Convocation in Belk Auditorium, focusing on themes of community, calling, and courage. The event specifically honored the Class of 2027, whose members donned their academic regalia and graduation caps for the first time, marking the start of their final undergraduate year.
President Dr. Anita Gustafson welcomed the Presbyterian College community, highlighting that the college experience extends beyond coursework and career preparation. She described PC as a community rooted in its church-related identity, aiming to prepare students to become leaders who will serve the greater good and challenge the world. Gustafson emphasized that the college is a community of calling, where academic pursuits and career readiness are integral to discovering how individual talents can benefit others. She also noted that honesty, trust, and respect are core values, referred to as being True Blue, which make the institution a special place.
Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Erin McAdams recognized the faculty as the heartbeat of Presbyterian College, commending their commitment to both scholarship and teaching. She encouraged the incoming Class of 2030, who will graduate during the college’s 150th anniversary year, to approach their first year with intellectual courage and explore campus opportunities. Sophomores and juniors were urged to continue building relationships with faculty, staff, and peers. McAdams described the Class of 2027 as a living bridge between the institution’s history and its immediate future, encouraging them to lead with integrity and uphold PC’s Honor Code.
The Rev. Dr. Buz Wilcoxon, Lassiter Chaplain and Dean of Spiritual Life, introduced the convocation’s featured speaker, the Honorable Kelly Byers, a 2007 PC graduate. Byers’ visit is part of a year-long emphasis on vocation and calling, supported by a grant from the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE). Byers, who serves as deputy executive director of Trees Upstate and on Travelers Rest City Council, shared her professional and personal journey, challenging the notion of a single, defined calling. She advised students that a meaningful life often unfolds through unexpected opportunities and continuous discernment, asserting that one will have many callings throughout life, extending beyond a paycheck to encompass careers, relationships, civic duties, hobbies, and personal choices.
Byers encouraged students to use their time at Presbyterian College as a laboratory for self-discovery, urging them to study abroad, intern, volunteer, and engage with professors and alumni. She stressed the importance of learning what does not fit, as this can be as valuable as finding what does. The convocation concluded with President Gustafson instructing the seniors to place their graduation caps with tassels to the right, symbolizing the beginning of their journey toward commencement.
