A Troy University alumna and longtime educator congratulated graduates Sunday at the Dothan Civic Center for setting, pursuing and achieving their goals.

Dr. Imogene Mixson, who was recently honored as one of TROY’s Alumni of the Year, told about 135 graduates from the University’s Dothan Campus that the Fall 2016 Commencement was a time of remembrance, a time of gratitude and a time of commitment.

“I advise you, graduates, to savor this moment, recognize and appreciate its meaning,” Mixson said. “Just relax and pause long enough to take it all in, for this key moment is one that means so much today and one that you can cherish for a lifetime. Moments and days like this one form an important part of the very essence of our lives.”

Mixson said graduates must remember the decision they made to pursue their field of study, the priorities they set, the discipline they employed and the obstacles they overcame to achieve their goals.

“Also remember the support you received along the way, the words and deeds that assisted you throughout this significant journey,” she said.

The graduates, Mixson explained, must show their gratitude to those who helped them along the way – family, friends, faculty and staff who helped them to obtain their degrees.

And finally, she told the graduates to make other commitments now that they’ve fulfilled their commitments to getting their degrees.

“An ending creates opportunities for new beginnings,” Mixson said.

She said graduates should commit themselves to three things above all others: lifelong learning, lifelong service and lifelong relationships.

“I encourage you to continue to read, to write, to study, to listen and to engage in appropriate public discourse,” she said. “Lifelong service can assure you continue to be productive as you make contributions to your family, your church, various charitable organizations and causes, your profession, your workplace, your local community and far beyond. And in your quest for quality always remember the value of other people, especially your friends.”

Mixson, a Skipperville native, earned her bachelor’s degree in English education from TROY in 1959. She serves as a member of TROY’s Planned Giving Advisory Board and the Trojan Shield Society. She also is an avid supporter of the University’s All-Steinway Initiative and is an endowed scholarship donor.