Business Executive Sherrie Miller told Clayton State graduates only you can define your future path, and you are powerful
(December 10, 2025) - Clayton State University concluded its Fall 2025 commencement weekend with the third and final ceremony on Saturday, December 6, at 12:00 p.m. The afternoon celebration marked the closing chapter for many Lakers, bringing together graduates, families, faculty, and supporters to honor the hard work and accomplishments of the Class of 2025.
Commencement speaker Sherrie Miller, Senior Vice President of Business Development at ID Logistics US and a proud Clayton State alumna, delivered an inspiring message reminding graduates to recognize their own strength and potential. She shared her personal journey from a shy second grader who dreamed of college to a first-generation graduate and industry leader. Miller highlighted the life-changing power of a single moment of encouragement from her elementary school librarian, who planted the seed that she was capable of going to college. “I remember that Mr. Baker believed in me,” she said, noting that belief became the foundation for everything that followed.
Miller emphasized that each graduate has the capability and responsibility to define their own path. “There will be people that try to diminish you or tell you to be small,” she said. “Reject it. Outright. The only person who defines your future path is you.” She urged graduates to embrace both their challenges and their victories, reminding them that perseverance builds purpose, confidence, and impact. With deep pride in her alma mater, she left students with a final affirmation: “Today, right now, you are powerful.”
Student speaker Ebony Swinton, a first-generation graduate, mother of four, and President’s List scholar, opened her address by inviting the Class of 2025 to pause and savor the moment. “Can we just take a second to breathe this in?” she asked, before saying, “We did it!” Blending humor with heartfelt honesty, Swinton reflected on the challenges her classmates overcame, balancing jobs, families, online learning, and personal responsibilities. She reminded graduates that their achievement places them among 37% of Americans who hold a bachelor’s degree, calling them “trailblazers” whose degrees represent courage as much as knowledge.
“This degree isn’t just a piece of paper,” she said. “It’s proof that we’re capable of more than we ever imagined.” Swinton encouraged her classmates to carry forward the resilience they developed at Clayton State, using their experiences to uplift their families and communities. She closed with a message of optimism: “Here’s to the Class of 2025, the class that conquered COVID, overcame chaos, and came out stronger, smarter, and ready to make waves.”
President Dr. Georj L. Lewis closed the ceremony by honoring the determination that carried the Class of 2025 to this moment, reminding graduates that none of them reached the finish line alone. He thanked the faculty and staff whose quiet, daily efforts made each graduate’s success possible and invited students to recognize the people in their own lives who helped them reach this milestone. Lewis highlighted the transformative impact of their achievement, noting that “your success is personal to me” and that Clayton State’s commitment to social mobility is more than a motto, “it’s our mission.” He emphasized that their time as Lakers continues beyond the classroom. “You join more than 39,000 alumni across the world,” he said. With heartfelt pride, he encouraged them to step boldly into their futures, assuring them that commencement is not an ending, but a powerful beginning.