Degrees in hand, these USF Sarasota-Manatee graduates are set to go far

They have dreams, they have dedication, and now they have degrees.

Nearly 300 students graduated from University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee this semester.

On Monday, many of them shared the triumph with friends and family as they walked across the stage at the Bradenton Area Convention Center to receive bachelor’s and graduate’s degrees at USFSM’s spring commencement ceremony.

Lukas Oest, 21, was among the green-and-gold-clad students who received special recognition.

Oest emigrated from an impoverished German town as a teen to attend high school in the U.S. with the help of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program.

Oest says the the people he met became a second family, and the U.S. became a second home.

After a short return to Germany, he came back to the U.S. for more education.

Oest received an associate’s degree from State College of Florida and then transferred to USFSM to pursue a degree in marketing.

“It pushed me to think critically and creatively,” Oest said.

During his years at school, he found a welcoming, rent-free home with Rick Hardison, head pastor of Lakewood Ranch Baptist Church, and his wife Staci.

An internship has now become a job prospect for Oest. He is working for a Bradenton marketing company that also does business in Germany — the best of both worlds. The company has agreed to sponsor Oest so that he can remain in the U.S.

Oest, who received the Outstanding Graduate Award, has some advice for degree seekers.

“Know your passions, but also don’t be afraid to find out what you’re good at. It won’t work if you’re not good at it.”

As Oest sets out to begin his career, another USFSM graduate is furthering hers.

Janet Wells, 66, is the oldest graduate in the USF system this academic year.

Wells has already led a diverse career, including stops as a computer programmer, encyclopedia saleswoman, receptionist and financial adviser, but she had never finished earning a college degree.

Wells had recently been laid off from a job in Texas and moved to Palmetto to be near her sister when she decided it was time to go back to school.

She chose USFSM and a degree in professional and technical communications.

In the midst of seeking the degree, a job listing in a quilting magazine piqued her interest.

Now a sales representative for a quilting supplies company, Wells says she is better able to relay information to customers thanks to her new education. She recently moved back to Texas for the job and completed the rest of her degree online.

“Communication is everywhere,” Wells said. “It’s used in every job. You can’t succeed without good communication skills.”

Other graduates who were recognized included Anya Pardy, a mother of six who received a full scholarship to Stetson University College of Law; Gustavo Delgado, a native of Colombia who received a dual degree in accounting and finance; and Cassandra Benjamin, who received the Golden Bull and Outstanding Service Award.

The commencement also marked a bittersweet milestone for USF system president Judy Genshaft, who is set to retire on June 30 after 19 years in the position. In that time, she has graduated more than 210,000 USF students.

Genshaft said that although she will miss the job and the great people at USF, she is confident the university’s future is bright.

“We are skyrocketing,” Genshaft said before the commencement. “We are really doing amazing things.”

As Genshaft presided over her final graduation ceremony, she congratulated graduates on their talent, creativity, grit and perseverance and wrapped up her speech with one last, “Go Bulls.”