Columbiana County – Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Consumers Bancorp, Inc. and Consumers National Bank Laurie McClellan charged Friday night’s graduates of Kent State at East Liverpool and Kent State at Salem to make a difference during her commencement address.

“Whatever your unique experience, you now feel inspired to give something back,” she said. “You feel a sense of responsibility to the community that invested in you. You continue to hear those “nagging” voices telling you to get out there and do something great.”

Two hundred students were awarded degrees from Kent State Salem, and more than 100 graduated from Kent State East Liverpool.   Separate ceremonies were held at the respective campuses to handle the overflow crowd. During the ceremonies, students received both associate and bachelor’s degrees.

McClellan, a Kent State Salem graduate, reminded students about the difficult journey many of them took to get to this point, especially considering that 86 percent of alumni from the two campuses are first generation college students.

“Obtaining a degree is not easy even under ideal circumstances, but students attending regional campuses are often juggling jobs and family obligations while going to school,” she said. “As a nontraditional student myself, I had a husband and two teenage daughters at home.  There were meals to cook, activities to attend and a pile of laundry that seemed to reproduce on its own.”

McClellan, who spoke of her own experiences of late-night studying, blurry-eyed mornings and surprise pop quizzes, reminded the students to remember those special people in their lives who helped them obtain their goals.

For McClellan, this special individual was past Radiology Program Director Shirley Bell.

“Shirley . . .  always found time to encourage the staff and students under her watchful eye.  She was a dedicated individual, supporting professional organizations and the community, Mitchell said. “Shirley was a committed educator who seemed to have more hours in her day than the rest of us mere mortals. Shirley Bell inspired students to work hard, to get involved and to do something great.  She made a difference.”

McClellan then encouraged students to “pick a project that warms your heart and that warms the lives of others you touch.  What an awesome feeling it is, to get involved and to give back,” she said.