Hear a few words from Candace Wright, Victory University’s Spirit Squad coach as she describes the upcoming tryouts for Victory University Spirit Squad.

Tryouts for the team will be held on Saturday, May 19, 2012.

Come tryout for the team at 255 North Highland, Memphis, Tennessee  38111.

Tryouts are from 9am to 12pm

Dr. Shirley Robinson Pippins
Commencement Speech

Graduates – Class of 2012

Good evening and congratulations. This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Let us rejoice and send the praises up. Let us thank Him for all that He has done to make this day possible.

I know many of you, along with your parents, family and friends, thought this day would never come. There were nights and even mornings when you wondered how you would make it through even another minute. But somehow, like manna from heaven, you were given the strength and wisdom you needed to make it through.

Because of the nature of your journeys, I am equally sure that for most of you today is an answer to many nights and days of prayers.

You are precious to many people in this room – the individuals, the prayer warriors, who supported you along your way; those who served as your alarm clocks and babysitters; those who stood in the gap and prayed for you when you were too tired to say a word. This is not just your day, it is their day also.

Please join me in thanking those whose prayers were heard, individuals who were able to connect with heaven and make today possible.

From the sound and volume of the applause, I know you are very special to many people in this room. But know that you are also very special to me. I have prayed for and with you. I have prayed for this place called Victory and I have prayed for and with your faculty members. You will always hold a very special place in my heart.

You are my first graduating class. You, the members of The class of 2012.

You entered these halls tonight as graduating seniors. You will leave as alums, as products of the Victory experience. Your professors have inspired you, prayed for and with you, ultimately challenging you and shaping you into the fine men and women you are today. Many of you are evidence that miracles still happen. You can proudly look at your colleagues and tell them and others “Don’t tell me miracles don’t happen.”

When I walked down the aisle tonight, on each side of me was a modern day miracle. One, Richard Miller, a Trinity scholar graduating Summa Cum Laude and on the other, Cedrick Hardrick, a man who four years ago was homeless. He is graduating tonight as Winston Howard said, “Thank you Lorde.”

I will proudly say it for you and them, “Don’t tell me miracles don’t happen.” I know from having spoken with some of you that I am looking at 113 miracles, stories of resurrection and overcoming that will shortly walk across this stage.

Some schools pride themselves on the number of students they reject. On opening day they tell students look to your left, look to your right. One of you will not be here next year.

At Victory, we pride ourselves on the number of lives we transform and the number of students who come closer to God, find their mission and leave us prepared spiritually and intellectually to lead and serve in a global society. At orientation we pray with our students and encourage them to support their neighbors so all of them can be victorious.

A graduate of Victory University is indeed a Victorious graduate. A Victorious graduate is prepared for the inevitable challenges of life. A Victorious graduate knows how to fall back upon powerful scriptures in times of trouble. A Victorious graduate knows, that no weapon formed against them shall prosper, that weeping may endure for a night; but joy cometh in the morning.

A graduate of Victory University knows that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. That whom He foreknew, He also predestined, Whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. That same graduate knows that if God is for him who can be against him? And that in all things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

A Victorious graduate can say, as Paul did, For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As a result of all this spiritual knowledge and strength, a Victorious graduate has a hedge of protection that she can pull up – not if, but when, trouble comes. And because of the spiritual and intellectual skills you have acquired here at Victory, we know you will be protected and successful. And yes, we want you to be successful.

The difference with a Victory graduate, is how our graduates will use their success and how they personally, not the world, will measure their success. A graduate of Victory University will measure his or her success by the difference they make in the lives of their family members, their communities and the broader society.

Graduates of Victory University will not hide their history or struggles. They will share their experiences, serving as bridges to success for others from similar backgrounds, letting others who are struggling know that they too can overcome their challenges and lead successful lives of service and leadership. That although they might be homeless now, in a few years they too can walk across the stage and receive a diploma.

Graduates, you will leave here today, yes with great joy and pride in your accomplishments. You will also leave here with a heavy burden. The burden of the skills, abilities and the spiritual gifts you have developed during your time at Victory. It is now your responsibility to use your talents to make a difference wherever you go.

And as you leave today I further encourage you to dream even bigger dreams, to think back on those dreams you dismissed as mere fantasies 2 or 3 years ago when you began your journey to this stage. Your success to date has prepared you for the next steps. The steps you will take AFTER you leave Victory.

Life holds big surprises for the prepared, for the dreamers who plan, pray and stay the course as you have. I never dreamed I’d one day be a college President. My dream was to be a high school math teacher. That dream was altered when I received a D at midterm in my first college math course, and a really caring faculty member encouraged me in my Humanities class. Michael Clifford and Suren Naidoo came along at another turning point in my life, and the rest in many ways is history.

At Victory I am serving in my third college presidency. At each step on my journey from a small steel mill town in Indiana growing up behind my father’s store, next door to a liquor store, my dreams became bigger. God’s plan became clearer.

I could have been a statistic but I stand before you today as a living witness of the power of prayer and modern day miracles. Dreams I would not have dared to dream were realized. I encourage you to keep your hand in God’s hand and to expect the same.

As your president I also have a responsibility to you. I do not take that responsibility lightly. My responsibility and commitment to you is to make you more proud every day of the name of the university that will be on the diploma you receive tonight. Over the course of our year together you have seen the early signs of growth and change. I promise you this is just the beginning.

Look for the name of your university in surprising places as you travel your separate ways. Look for us and pray for us. Make us proud. We will do the same for you.

In closing, I take you back to my beginning: Graduates – Class of 2012. This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Let us rejoice and send the praises up. Let us thank Him for all that He has done to make this day possible.

And as you send up your praises and thanksgiving, open your arms and prepare to receive even more blessings. Because we know when the praises go up, more blessings will come down.

Congratulations! Be blessed bountifully. And continue to expect miracles.

VICTORY UNIVERSITY EAGLE BASEBALL OPEN TRYOUT FOR 2012-13
MEMPHIS, TN. – Victory University head baseball coach John Jarnagin has announced that the Eagle baseball team will hold a pair of tryouts for anyone interested in joining the 2012-13 baseball team.

Victory will hold its first tryout on Thursday, May 17. The second tryout will be May 30. Tryouts will be at Gagliano Field at Halle City Park (2590 Mount Moriah Road, Memphis, TN 38115) with the workouts open to all 2012 High School seniors and Junior College players who have completed their baseball seasons.

To tryout, a player’s High School or JC season must be complete. Registration is set for 3:00 p.m. on Thursday May 17 with tryouts beginning at 3:30. On Wednesday May 30 registration is set for 11:30 with tryouts beginning at noon. All participants MUST HAVE a recent physical that has been conducted within the past school year.

Participants are asked to provide their own equipment (catcher’s equipment and gloves). If a participate brings his own bat, it must be a new Bat Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) baseball bat as required by all of amateur baseball.

Participants are also asked to contact Coach John Jarnagin jjarnagin@victory.edu to receive important tryout information needed before participation. This must be done prior to the tryout in order to expedite the registration process.

Tryouts will be conducted in a professional showcase format with players judged on their 60-yard dash, all hitters taking live swings on the field, outfielders and infielders being judged, catchers will have throwing times recorded and pitchers will throw in the bullpen.

For more information about Victory’s baseball tryout, contact Coach Jarnagin at 901-320-9700 or jjarnagin@victory.edu

You are cordially invited to attend the 2012 VU Spring Alumni Dinner, to hear about the excitement at Victory University and how you can become more involved

Join us on Monday, May 14, 2012, from 6:00pm-7:30pm, in the Victory University Gymnasium.

To learn more click here.

Victorious

Sunday, April 29, 2012

MANDEVILLE, Manchester — A combination of 10 present and past students from the community college system were on Wednesday awarded scholarships to pursue online bachelor’s and master’s degrees in their respective disciplines with Victory University in Memphis, Tennessee.

The awards were made at the official ceremony for Education for Advancement’s (EFA) inaugural education and skills expo at the Golf View Hotel in this central Manchester town.

The agreement between Victory University and the Council for Community College Jamaica (CCCJ) to offer scholarships was formalised this year.

The awardees and their programmes of study are:

* Antonette Rashford, Bethlehem Moravian College (BSc Business Administration)

* Cereta Gregg, Brown’s Town Community College (BSc Business Administration)

* Patrice James, Montego Bay Community College (MSc Professional Counselling)

* Jannette Brown, Excelsior Community College (BSc Business Administration)

* Shawmaine Hill, College of Agriculture Science and Education (MSc Professional Counselling)

* Grace-Ann Gobern, Portmore Community College (BSc Business Administration)

* Sophia Fraser-Smith, Jamaica Bible College (BSc Business Administration)

* Shakeria Brown, Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica (BSc Business Administration)

* Sajae Burey, Moneague College (BSc Business Administration)

* Andre Rowe, Knox Community College (BSc Business Administration)

According to EFA’s promotional flyer, the organisation was created to make access to global education a local process. It stated that from the headquarters in Florida and through the support of a dedicated team in locations throughout the Caribbean, many persons are being assisted in pursuing their educational goals and building successful careers.

Neville Madden, director for EFA in Jamaica told Career & Education that the scholarship winners were selected based on their academic performance — a Grade Point Average of 3.5 or more — and financial need.

The awardees will begin their studies in July.

According to Madden, the support the students receive is “two-fold” as it is both “proactive and reactive”.

“We have, for example, workshops and retreats and our office staff responds to student needs. Victory University also has a student affairs office” he said.

David Vande Pol, vice-president of Victory University, in his address at the Expo, said the institution is a Christian university and that is one of the things that distinguishes it from other universities in the marketplace. He said the bachelor’s degree programmes offered by the institution have the “highest accreditation that is available in the USA”.

He warned the awardees that studying by distance will be ‘rigorous’, but reiterated that they will have the requisite support. He said “the Internet is a wonderful tool” that will assist them in their endeavour.

Mayor of Mandeville Brenda Ramsay lauded the facilitators of the expo for their efforts.

“Anything educational is very, very important. There are so many opportunities available to students and it’s important to seize them. Education is critical to advancement to any nation. Educators, students and government need to work together to ensure that they are on the same page. We should ensure that they (students) are not only getting these skills but it is helping to shape well-rounded individuals” she said.

The expo’s other exhibitors included the Media Technology Institute, Management Institute of National Development, Versan Educational Services, the Jamaica Defence Force, Jamaica Bible College, HEART Trust/NTA and COK.

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/pfversion/Victorious_11360108#ixzz1tXOcnrSl