Jun. 18, 2026
South College celebrated the graduation of 675 students at a ceremony held at the Grand Ole Opry House on June 18.
The graduates included Nashville-area married couple David and Theresia Swearingen, who earned bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice and business administration respectively, and Kenya Miller, who persevered while caring for family and working multiple jobs in pursuit of her goals.
“We applaud graduates like David, Theresia and Kenya for pursuing their ambitions while balancing other responsibilities,” South College Nashville President Nick South said. “We have so many incredible graduates who have demonstrated this same dedication and commitment to reach this milestone. I congratulate all our graduates and wish them continued professional success.”
The Swearingens married right after high school and focused on having a family and raising and supporting their children.
“Once our youngest graduated high school, we decided it was time to start pursuing our own dreams,” said David Swearingen, who works in law enforcement as a school resource officer.
Theresia Swearingen is an office manager with experience in business and accounting who wanted a degree to back up her many years of work experience.
“It has been nice to lean on each other through this process,” Theresia Swearingen said. “We push one another and if there is something one of us is stronger in, we’re there to help each other as well.”
The Humphreys County couple was among the hundreds of graduates crossing the stage and celebrating their achievements with loved ones.
Graduates at the ceremony were inspired by commencement speaker Chad Porter, who shared his story of overcoming adversity after a preventable accident nearly took his life and seriously altered his future.
“I remember lying in my hospital bed asking, ‘Why me?’ again and again, but eventually I heard the words, ‘Don’t worry. You’ll find out,’ and that gave me just enough hope to keep going,” Porter said.
Porter challenged graduates to unlock their full potential, even as they face obstacles.
Kenya Miller overcame significant barriers by balancing school with multiple jobs to support her children and family, working part-time as a patient care tech, delivering packages and groceries, making nighttime pharmaceutical deliveries and driving a donut truck in the early morning, all while keeping up with her studies.
Despite the challenges, Miller remained committed, completed the Surgical Technology program and earned a prestigious award and scholarship from Vanderbilt Medical Center.
The commencement ceremony included graduates from programs including Accounting, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Dental Assistant, Dental Hygiene, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Health Science, Medical Assisting, Nursing, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Physical Therapist Assistant, Radiography, Surgical Technology and Teaching.
South College Nashville has experienced significant growth and recently celebrated its expansion, including a new campus building and expanded Dental Clinic. The campus, which originally opened in 2017, focuses on offering programs, especially in healthcare fields, that lead to viable professional opportunities for students upon graduation and to help meet demands in key fields.
The campus buildings at 565 and 616 Marriott Drive in Nashville are centrally located in the heart of the medical community. They feature modern classrooms, laboratories and other conveniences for students and faculty.
For more information about South College Nashville, visit south.edu/nashville.
Across its national footprint, South College offers more than 150 academic programs and concentrations in business, education, healthcare and other fields. The institution was founded in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1882 and now includes 10 physical campuses, Competency-Based Education (CBE) and online learning. To learn more about South College, visit south.edu.
About South College
South College serves more than 20,000 students and is proud of its more than 25,000 graduates. The institution offers academic programs at multiple levels, including professional certificates and associate, bachelor’s, master’s, educational specialist and doctoral degree programs via campuses in Knoxville and Nashville, Tennessee; Asheville, North Carolina; Atlanta and Marietta, Georgia; Indianapolis, Indiana; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dallas, Texas; and Orlando, Florida, as well as Online and CBE. South College focuses on ensuring high standards and quality educational offerings, maintaining multiple authorizations and accreditations.
South College’s programs span diverse fields such as business, criminal justice, education, dental hygiene/assisting, diagnostic medical sonography, nursing, occupational therapy, paralegal studies, physical therapy, radiography, respiratory therapy, physician assistant studies, pharmacy and surgical technology. The institution is dedicated to preparing students with the skills and knowledge needed for the professional opportunities ahead of them. For more information, visit south.edu.
