Management students to present university, college commencement addresses

May 1, 2008 - Christina Johnson and Peyton Holland, both graduating this month with bachelor’s degrees in business management (marketing concentration) will present student commencement addresses at May 10 commencement ceremonies.

Johnson will speak during the NC State University Commencement Ceremony which begins at 9 a.m. in the RBC Center. Holland will present the students’ address at the College of Management’s ceremony that begins immediately after, about 11:30 a.m., at the same location.

Johnson said she has been “dreaming about what it would be like” to deliver the commencement address ever since hearing Ronald Johnson speak at the May 2007 commencement ceremony.

“The reason I attended NC State was because like no other university … NC State cultivated an environment in which students were valued and were empowered to enhance the campus … not just (to) receive what the university had to offer students,” she said.

Both Johnson and Holland found ways to give back to their campus community during their student years.

Johnson has been actively involved in the Impact Movement at NC State, serving most recently as president the interdenominational student Christian organization. Through her leadership role with the Impact Movement, she gained experience in planning events and now seeks to build a career in corporate event planning.

Johnson also participated in other community service projects, including Service Raleigh and Habitat for Humanity.  But it was her international experiences that created a lasting impression.

“The most rewarding service experience … was dedicating my spring break to a women’s issues trip to Guatemala. Seeing the poverty in Guatemala changed my outlook on life. We were granted the honor of volunteering in Camino Seguro - meaning Safe Passage, a safe place for those that live and work in the Guatemala City Dump. I had the opportunity to teach Spanish and math to some of the women there and grow from their love for knowledge and life despite their circumstances.”

She also participated in a Study Abroad program in Ghana, and now has a life goal of visiting all seven continents. “These international opportunities completely changed my world view on poverty, education, and the importance of giving back,” she said.
Johnson also served as a staff writer for NC State’s Nubian Message, and received first place in collegiate oratorical contests.

Holland came to NC State with a passion for SkillsUSA, an organization that he joined as a freshman in high school, where he participated in its interview competitions and held several leadership roles.

He concluded his high school involvement as national college postsecondary vice president, a role he served in during his freshman year at NC State, where he established the university’s first collegiate chapter. Johnson has traveled to nine states, speaking to executives at corporations and business and industry partners to recruit support for the organization.

“At the end of my term as vice president, I continued to help the organization with business and industry relations at the national level and also with student leadership development,” Holland said. He has helped to train over 450 state officers since then and was a part of a team that secured a $1 million grant from Lowe's for SkillsUSA.

Holland also has been an active member of the College of Management Student Ambassadors, and has worked on the committee to establish a student leadership board.