Ogeechee Technical College held its annual commencement ceremony at Thursday evening inside Hanner Fieldhouse along with a crowd of 3,000 that included ecstatic students, their proud families and friends and OTC staff.

There were 371 students honored before the energy-filled gathering. Students who have earned their associate’s degrees, diplomas, technical certificates of credit and Georgia High School Equivalency diplomas were all recognized and celebrated throughout the evening’s ceremony.

After OTC President Lori Durden asked the graduates to applaud and recognize their parents, spouses and children, she expressed her gratitude for the graduating class of 2026.

“I’m sure that you feel exhilaration for what you have accomplished and the knowledge and skills that you’ve gained are your rewards, something that can never be taken away from you,” Durden said. “This is certainly a milestone in your life, something that you will remember forever, and I am honored to be a part of it.”

The commencement address, delivered by Dr. Patrice Buckner Jackson, author of Amazon Best-seller “Disrupting Burnout: The Professional Woman’s Lifeline to Finding Purpose,” had some words of encouragement for the 2026 graduates.

“You could have chosen not to do this, you could have given up in the middle of your program, you had many excuses, you could have decided you were not going to push through, you were not going to do the work, you were not going to do what it takes, but decision by decision, day by day, you showed up,” Jackson said. “I want you to know the impact of what you accomplished tonight is going to outlive you for generations to come. I want you know you are building a beautiful, full life.”

The ceremony concluded in celebration with glow sticks, music, and applause. According to data from OTC Registrar, Brandy Murphy, there were 2,198 degrees, diplomas and certificates awarded in 2025-26 academic year to 1,051 students.