Gary Jamerson, of Pamplin, Virginia, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in recreation and sport management during commencement exercises held Dec. 15, at Coastal Carolina University. More than 700 students were candidates for graduation in the ceremony held at the HTC Student Recreation and Convocation Center on campus.

In his talk to the graduation candidates, commencement speaker Luke Rankin shared advice given to him by his father.

“As the years have gone by,” said Rankin, who has served Horry County in the South Carolina State Senate since 1992, “I have learned that my father’s three-word mantra is a profound philosophy of life. It’s expressed in three simple words: observe, record and correlate.”

Rankin was awarded the honorary degree Doctor of Public Service at the ceremony. Area physicians Charles G. Sasser and Covia L. Stanley were both awarded the honorary degree Doctor of Science.

Two graduating students received the President’s Award for Academic Achievement, which recognizes students with the highest cumulative grade point averages. The recipients of the award all had perfect 4.0 grade point averages, graduating summa cum laude: Hattie Adeline Jordan, an economics major of Conway, S.C. and Madeline Anne Lee, a marine science major of Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Coastal Carolina University is a dynamic, public comprehensive liberal arts institution located in Conway, just minutes from the resort area of Myrtle Beach, S.C.

CCU offers baccalaureate degrees in 73 major fields of study. Among CCU’s 21 graduate-level programs are 18 master’s degrees, two educational specialist degrees, and the Ph.D. in marine science: coastal and marine systems science