What makes for transformation of a life? According to the Chairman of the Rensselaer County Legislature, Martin T. Reid, “Hudson Valley Community College transforms lives,” and he’s correct. One such student just graduated from there with high honors and as a member of Phi Theta Kappa, though it was a long, rocky road for him. What made this young man change? Were his professors and the student’s own resolve enough to pull him out of the pit he’d fallen into? What helped him to make the transition from darkness to light?
Mr. Reid provided a key in Abraham Lincoln’s words. “You must believe if you want to succeed.” The question still remains though, believe in what? Solely in yourself? President Lincoln knew that wasn’t enough to truly accomplish the goal of his life. Belief in God underpinned his very thoughts of equality for all men and drove him to forfeit peace for his moral conviction that slavery was wrong and unjust. It is also belief in God that transformed the aforementioned student from one who failed out of college twice to a graduate with honors. But is belief all it takes and nothing else?
Senator Charles Schumer also had some insight as he gave his formula for success; “With a lot of hard work, a little luck and some prayer you can make it.” Hard work was surely a good part of the success of the two thousand plus graduates, but for some—prayer was even more foundational than just believing in self. For the result of a purely humanitarian view, one need only look at the present culture which has tried to pump our youth with belief in self. With only that in mind, despair, depression and death has become an ever increasing outcome. But good news exists in the form of the One who delivered humankind from such destruction! Jesus came that we might have abundant life. For this young man who graduated with high honors (my son) it has made the complete difference in success and failure, as it has for many others: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr. and on and on.
So as H.V.C.C. celebrates its successful Fifty-Seventh Commencement and its achievement as one of the top 10% of community colleges in the nation, let’s not forget the Wise One who gave these abilities to all mankind so that they might utilize and enjoy their accomplishments, not only for self, but for others. So, congratulations HVCC graduates and families. As one student said, “I can’t express in words what HVCC has done for me.” While it is wonderful to be grateful to the school, let’s not forget the Almighty who endowed us with this talent and transforms lives to make all things possible—even graduating college.
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