Centennial Commencement: Part Two

Former Oklahoma Governor George Nigh gave the commencement address at the second Centennial Commencement this year--the first presided over by new ECU President John R. Hargrave. Nigh, who graduated from ECU in 1950 (he was a cheerleader during his undergraduate days), shared five favorite quotes with graduates:

1) "I don't want to drive through life looking in the rearview mirror."

2) "Don't set your goals too low; you might achieve them."

3) "Perfection is a goal; excellence is OK."

4) "It's more important to know why that's the answer than to know that's the answer."

5) "The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here." (from Lincoln's Gettysburg Address)

Governor Nigh also offered graduates these bits of advice:

1) "Knowledge is what you remember after you've forgotten what you've memorized."

2) "If you don't know where you're going, you're liable to get there."

3) "It's nice to be important; it's more important to be nice."

4) "The most flammable piece of wood is the chip on your shoulder."

Four English majors were listed in the program as candidates for Bachelor's Degrees: Amanda Beth James Dill, Tommy Preston Hammons, Kasey Nicole McKinzie, and Crystal Gale Walk.