Manor College’s graduating class, comprised of 125 students, recently gathered in Mother of Perpetual Help Hall Auditorium – surrounded by family, friends, faculty, staff, and alumni – to receive their hard-earned associate degrees in science and arts.

Cheltenham High School graduate Thomas Hipwell took the stage as the valedictorian and opened his remarks by saying, “It’s easy, just a lot of work.”

Hipwell shared his thanks and gratitude to many who have “enriched and improved” his life, but gave a heartfelt thank you to one person in particular.

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“John Dempster, soccer coach and athletic director, opened doors for me that changed my life,” said Hipwell. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you for bringing me to Manor.”

The theme to Hipwell’s remarks was a quote – “It’s easy, just a lot of work” – from a teammate.

Hipwell used it to imply that you can do anything you set your mind to if you put in the work. It’s obvious that Hipwell lives by this mantra of “work,” considering he maintained a 4.0 GPA, worked a part-time job, and was the goalkeeper for the men’s soccer team the last two years.

Hipwell is also the first-ever student-athlete to be named valedictorian at Manor College.

“Regardless of what you do, regardless of where you go,” he said, “when faced with adversity, just remember one thing, it’s easy, just a lot of work.”

Click here to watch Hipwell’s speech.

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