The 2012 graduates of Sandhills Community College will face a slightly improved job market than the alumni of the recent past. As the nation recovers from a long and deep recession, Moore County fares much better than the large majority of North Carolina counties, better than all but one of the nine surrounding counties, and far better than the national average.

The graduates and the college celebrated the end of a successful academic year with 681 candidates presented for graduation on Saturday, May 12, on the Boyd Library Green. The weather was as perfect as one could wish with graduates and their families enjoying a most memorable morning.

As part of the ceremonies, Elizabeth Morrison, a medical office administration major, was announced as the valedictorian and was given the President's Award.

The Mary Lumen Meyer Award is presented to the graduate who has contributed most to the life of the college and was given to David Ross. Ross graduated with an associate in arts degree pre-majoring in history.

Student Government Association President Ami Denton was granted the Faculty Award for character and academic achievement. Denton graduated with an associate degree in nursing.

Distinguished Alumni winner Terry Young gave the commencement address. Young graduated from Sandhills in 1988, and she and her husband are partners at Aberdeen Physical Therapy.

Students graduating this year included those who have studied Automotive Technologies, Computer Technologies, Cosmetology, Engineering Technologies, Golf Course Management, Health Sciences, Hospitality and Culinary Arts, Landscape Gardening, Management and Business Technologies, Nursing and Public Services.

Those choosing college transfer through the University Studies program were awarded an Associate in Arts (AA), Associate in Fine Arts (AFA) or Associate in Science (AS). Some will transfer with a College Transfer Core Diploma.

Now is the time to begin the registration process to attend Sandhills Community College for the fall semester, which begins on Aug. 20.

Sandhills has an "open-door" admission policy. This means that a high school graduate or anyone 16 years or older with a high school equivalency certificate (GED) or an adult high school diploma can attend Sandhills.

It takes just five easy steps to attend college at Sandhills: Apply online or in Student Services located in Stone Hall; request transcript(s) from past colleges and high school; take the Accuplacer assessment at the college; meet for pre-advisement; and register for classes.

Students are not required to take standardized tests such as the SAT or ACT to enroll. However, the college can use those scores for class placement. SCC offers the Accuplacer, a placement assessment tool that is used to make sure that students begin at the proper level classes.

Those who are 18 years or older and do not have a high school diploma, GED or adult high school diploma can consider Adult Basic Education, GED certification or Adult High School classes that are offered through the college's Continuing Education Division.

All information about attending Sandhills can be found on the college website, www.sandhills.edu, or contact the Admissions Office at (910) 695-3725 for curriculum program and class information.