Charleston Southern University held its commencement ceremony May 3, in which 300 undergraduate and graduate students received their degrees. Thousands of parents, friends and relatives packed the North Charleston Coliseum to witness the occasion.

For graduate Sarah Croft, commencement is “a bittersweet experience. I learned so much at CSU and was really able to grow as a person, thanks to my classes and experiences as a student. Going out into the real world can be scary, but I have faith that God will lead me in the right direction, just as he led me to the right major my freshman year,” she said.

George Greene III, chairman of the Charleston-based Water Missions International, was commencement speaker. In his address, Greene cited a conversation that a young lawyer had with Jesus, found in Mark 12.

“I want to suggest to you that this is the key to a life of significance – to love your neighbor as yourself. And note that this is not a suggestion or a recommendation. It’s a commandment – straight from God,” he said.

Greene and his wife Molly left the corporate world in 1981 and started an environmental consulting company. Ten years ago, Hurricane Mitch hit Central America and left an estimated 11,000 people dead in Honduras alone. It was out of this devastation that Greene said he clearly heard the Lord say to him, “You need to help these people.” Within a few weeks of the hurricane, his company designed and built six small community water treatment systems.

In 2001, Greene formed Water Missions International, which now has more than 500 water systems in 32 countries providing safe water to more than 1 million people. He was presented with an honorary doctor of public service degree by university president Jairy Hunter.

With more than 100 years of combined service, four professors were honored as emeriti faculty during the ceremony. Those honored were Carol Jean Drowota, English; Linda Salter Gooding, history; Wendell Thomas Guerry, religion; and Anne Leigh Hawkes, foundation studies and English. The Distinguished Professor Award was granted to Kennerley Bonnette, distinguished professor of chemistry.

The Distinguished Service Award was presented to Bill and Bonnie Weathersbee of Lexington for their special contributions through the Ronnie Sisson Memorial Endowed Scholarship, the Board of Visitors and the Buccaneer Club Board of Directors.