16-Year U.S. Navy Veteran Gives EKU Graduation Speech

“You can't see the size of the cliff before you jump, but from someone who leaped into the abyss, has seen the best and worst of humanity, and came out alive and well, it's worth it every single time. The world is once again at our feet; all we have to do is jump. If someone were to ask me today which color I bleed, I will take a leap and proudly tell them, 'I bleed maroon!” shared Nichol Ripley, student speaker at the Fall 2019 Commencement Ceremony on December 13, 2019.
Ripley, who earned a B.S. in Agriculture with a concentration in Agribusiness Management and an emphasis in Livestock, lives in Cynthiana, Kentucky with her family on their farm. Ripley is not only a 16-year U.S. Navy Veteran and a mother, she is also a first generation college graduate. In addition to excelling in her classes, Nichol has become a dedicated member of the Delta Alpha Tau Agricultural Honor Society as well as the Student Veterans Association. Not only was she actively involved on campus, but she has also been operating her family farm while commuting to class daily.
Ripley’s speech to her fellow graduates was filled with the challenges she has overcome in her life as well as how EKU has helped her to pursue her dreams. Along with Ripley, 200 other students from the College of Business and Technology also graduated on Friday. Friends and family from near and far came to celebrate their Colonels!

-Christina Dunavan, Student Writer
Click here to view the entire photo album from the Fall 2019 CBT Commencement Ceremony!

Published on December 17, 2019