Graduates cheer on traditional ceremony

When Drew Furbush enrolled at the University of North Georgia (UNG) in 2017, he wasn't afraid of beginning a new chapter in his life. He was scared of not finishing it.

"I was scared I wouldn't graduate because I have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD," Furbush said, explaining it is a mental health disorder. "And college was difficult."

But the 22-year-old from Cumming, Georgia, had nothing to fear. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology with a summa cum laude distinction in summer 2021.

Furbush was one of more than 430 graduates to walk across the stage on Aug. 6 at UNG's Convocation Center as hundreds of families and friends cheered. It marked a return to a traditional commencement ceremony after COVID-19 pandemic restrictions had postponed and drastically changed all ceremonies since spring 2020.

This allowed Furbush's father, brother, grandparents and a friend to attend the event in person. During the pandemic, UNG graduates were allowed only four guests while six tickets were allocated previously.

Returning to the typical event meant Furbush's mother had a prime seat to watch her oldest child graduate with the same degree as her from her alma mater. Dr. Lori Furbush, a 1991 alumna and senior lecturer of psychological science at UNG's Cumming Campus, marched with the faculty and watched the graduates from the event floor.

"It was very special to watch him and all of the students graduate," she said. "It was great to mingle with them afterward."

The 2021 summer commencement was the first time faculty could participate since December 2019. More than 50 joined the processional.

A keynote speaker also signaled a return to the classic ceremony. Dr. Wayne Clough, secretary emeritus of the Smithsonian Institution and president emeritus of the Georgia Institute of Technology, shared some insight with the graduates and guests.

"Your generation will have to provide the leadership at a difficult juncture in our world's history," he said. "I always felt the best ways to understand leadership and how it works is by having role models."

Clough said his parents and his friend, the late Congressman John Lewis, were his role models.

"John Lewis led by example. He believed in non-violence, that love conquers hate and in never giving up," Clough said. "His advice to young people about leadership was 'Every generation leaves a legacy. What that legacy will be is determined by the people of that generation. What legacy do you want to leave behind?' You need to ask yourself that."

Drew Furbush doesn't know what about his legacy or what the future holds, but he is glad he followed in his mother's footsteps.

"For the longest time, I didn't want to major in psychology. I didn't want to be compared to her," he said. "But my intro to psychology class was really interesting. It was clear what I was meant to do."

Now, he is glad to join his mom, his grandparents, a couple of aunts, and a few cousins as a UNG alumnus.

"UNG was the only university that I applied to. It was the only place I wanted to go," he said.