Seniors Reflecting on their Time on the Hill

The Spring Hill College

Class of 2023 graduation commencement is less than two weeks away and seniors have reflected on their time at the college for the past four years.

Whether students found themselves driving 10 minutes or taking a three hour flight across the Atlantic Ocean to be on Spring Hill’s campus, Spring Hill College has been the home to over 300 college seniors from different backgrounds for the past four years.

Senior João Amaral from Portugal said, “Going to college here was a transformative experience that shaped my values, beliefs and career aspirations. I got exposed to new ideas and perspectives and my beliefs were challenged. I also think that I went through personal and professional growth because I developed communication and collaboration skills, gained real-world experience through research projects, and built a professional network that now has made it possible for me to further continue my athletic and academic career.” Amaral chose to attend Spring Hill College after he was granted a scholarship. After graduation, Amaral has set plans for himself to obtain his Master’s Degree while continuing to play soccer.

Though some students have spent their whole lives in places many hours away from SHC, there are a handful of seniors who have found a way to make Mobile a more permanent place of residence.

Senior Natalie Sullivan from Chicago said, “After graduation, I will be staying in Mobile to start working for Elite Medical as an associate sales representative.”

Sullivan added, “One thing I will miss the most about Spring Hill are all the people and living so close to all my friends.” Before graduating high school, Sullivan visited her sister who attended SHC at the time. After the visit, Sullivan decided to enroll at SHC. Sullivan noted the welcoming atmosphere the school had.

During the 2022-2023 academic school year, there were events held to honor and celebrate the current Spring Hill College seniors. On Jan. 26, the college held the annual 100 days graduation event where seniors were able to reflect on the memories they had created the past four years, ending their night with a champagne toast.

Senior Sydney Roland from Mobile said, “The 100 Days to Graduation celebration was so much fun. For me, it was my first realization that I am actually about to graduate college. I thought Spring Hill College did

Senior Luly Tuñón takes senior pictures on the Avenue Picture by Peyton Horkavy a great job making the seniors feel special and recognized. The guest speaker was great and her message served as an encouraging reminder to finish my last semester of college strong!”

According to the Spring Hill College official website, the commencement ceremony for the senior class of 2023 will be held on the Avenue of the Oaks on May 6 at 9 a.m. Overflow seating will be provided inside the Student Barter Center where a live stream of the commencement will be playing. Graduates are expected to report to the second floor of Byrne Memorial Hall by 8 a.m. to line up alphabetically for the graduate procession.

For more information on the final events of the 20222023 year, hosted by Spring Hill College, go to shc.edu.