Press Release
Under the theme “Rooted in Faith, Rising in Excellence”, and drawing from Isaiah 40:28-31, the sanctuary of Destiny Baptist Church was transformed into sacred ground for achievement for the Bahamas Baptist University College (BBUC) Baccalaureate Service and Commencement Exercise. Fresh off the announcement of its new Practical Nursing and Bachelor’s in Pharmacy programs, BBUC is no longer just growing, it is expanding in bold, deliberate strides, planting roots deeper into national development and raising leaders committed to purpose.
The atmosphere was one of reverence and reflection, but also of triumph, as the institution celebrates its pearl anniversary – 30 years of distinguished tertiary education in The Bahamas. BBUC graduates lined the pews in their gold and blue-trimmed gowns as friends and family filled every row with expectant joy. Their spirits were lifted by the stirring sounds of The Salvation Army Nassau Citadel under the leadership of Sir Edward Elgar.
In a passionate message that echoed with prophetic weight, Bishop Delton Fernander, President of the Bahamas National Baptist Missionary and Bahamas and of the Bahamas Christian Council, charged the graduating class with a call to bear fruit.
“You weren’t planted just to grow,” he declared. “You were planted to bear good fruit.”
He reminded the graduates that their education came with an expectation that they are to succeed, to return, and to pour back into the very institution that watered their dreams.
Adding a voice of experience and humor, Minister Lisa T. Rahming, a proud BBUC alumna, brought both nostalgia and celebration to the stage. She reflected on the university’s evolution from a small community college to a growing academic powerhouse.
“I brought my little trophies to compare with yours,” she joked, holding up the modest symbols of her time as a student. “And I must say your trophies are nicer!”
But behind the laughter was a message of empowerment. She applauded BBUC for reaching new heights, and told the graduates that with the institution’s growth, their responsibilities also expanded.
“If BBUC has elevated, then so must you,” Rahming said. “This is just the beginning – keep climbing!”
BBUC President Dr. Teresa Adderley-Smith offered moving, memorable words. Stepping to the podium, she posed a question: “Graduate, what is your life’s blueprint?”
From that question, she painted a vivid picture of resilience. She reminded them that Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team not once, but twice. Oprah Winfrey was told she was unfit for television. Colonel Sanders had his now famous chicken recipe rejected over a thousand times before someone finally said “yes.”
“Maybe someone told you that you wouldn’t make it,” she said. “But look at you, you’re standing! You crawled when you couldn’t walk, and today, you rise.”
She proclaimed that these graduates were no longer just students, they were eagles.
“You are not sitting in these seats to simply celebrate academic achievement. This is your declaration to the world that your blueprint includes purpose. That you are dreamers, builders, leaders, innovators, educators, and visionaries. From these very pews will rise the people who will transform this nation.”
With a final, resounding push, she urged them to keep soaring: “Be like Jordan, keep shooting. Be like Oprah, use rejection for redirection. Be like Colonel Sanders, keep showing up until someone says yes.”
As applause thundered through the sanctuary, it became clear these weren’t just graduates walking across a stage, they were eagles, ready to take flight – rooted in faith, and rising in excellence.
As the ceremony ended, it signaled the closing of one chapter and the beginning of another for the students. They embraced professors and parents, clutching their diplomas and the sanctuary was filled with laughter and hope.
