ABAC graduates 350 at spring commencement

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College graduated 350 students during its Spring Commencement ceremonies Thursday. Georgia State Supreme Court Justice John Ellington, an ABAC alumnus, was the featured speaker.

“First, I want to tell you how proud I am to be a graduate of ABAC and congratulate you on your graduation,” Ellington said. “The education, the values, the experiences you learn at ABAC prepare you for success in life. What impressed me most about ABAC was the opportunity to grow intellectually and as a person. Life is a team sport. At ABAC, along with critical thinking and curiosity, you learn to respect other people. You learn leadership and communication skills; you learn to value honesty and hard work and how to collaborate with other people, all while having fun.”

The 2024 recipient of the David and Kim Bridges Award was Ivey Cook, an Agricultural Education major from Ty Ty.

The award recognizes scholarship, leadership, and citizenship to a graduate receiving a four-year degree. Cook graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Georgia Teaching Certificate. She has been on the President’s List and the Dean’s List.  She was also the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources Student Spotlight for the Board of Regents meeting on ABAC’s campus. She served as an ABAC Ambassador, a School of Agriculture and Natural Resources Leader, an SGA Senator, an ABAC Peer Educator, and a member of the Collegiate FFA, the Horticulture Club, the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow, Agripreneurs, Women in Ag and Natural Resources, the Stallion Society, and the Agronomy Club.

She also participated in the Green and Gold Gala, the Fall Festival, Homecoming, Freshman Move-In, Sunbelt Expo, Halloween Festival, SGA Easter Egg Hunt, AET Truck and Tractor Pull, An Evening for ABAC, Family Weekend and many more.

“Many former students often say had it not been for their ABAC experience, they would not have achieved the personal and professional accomplishments they have enjoyed,” said ABAC President Tracy Brundage. “We hear those stories, and we love them because they demonstrate the value of your time spent here with us on this incredible campus. It is our hope that we have inspired you with the qualities of resiliency, curiosity, determination, and the ability to share your own personal story that will unfold from this day forward.”

Brooke Patry, Student Government Association President, urged her fellow graduates to take the ABAC spirit with them as they take the next step in their personal journeys.

“As your SGA President, I have had the opportunity to witness the incredible spirit that defines our student body,” Patry said. “As we step into the next chapters of our lives, let us carry that spirit and those values with us. I am confident that each of you will achieve remarkable things. Our potential is limitless. Let’s go out into the world and show them what the ABAC spirit is all about – perseverance, determination, and the commitment to making a difference.”