Three USC Aiken graduates make history

AIKEN, S.C. (WFXG) - It's graduation season, a time when students enter into the next chapters of their lives. 

In total, there were 379 undergraduate students and 83 graduate students. All of them walked across the stage Wednesday, beginning a new chapter in their lives. 

Margaret Knotts, Lizbeth Smiley, and Tanner Shumpert made history at USC Aiken by being the first to graduate with a Spanish Degree.  

Knotts said she fell in love with Spanish when she was in the eighth grade, "Fell in love with the culture and the language. Just being able to be the person that can bridge the gap between the language barriers". 

Outside the classroom, Knotts has showcased her talents for USCA's award-winning Eventing Team and served in campus organizations such as Delight Ministries, and the Hispanic Student Association. 

After graduation, Knotts will prepare for a huge shift in her post-graduate life. She will move to Spain, where she'll teach English for a few years. Once she returns, she hopes to work for the Federal Bureau of Investigations to assist with issues surrounding immigration. 

Lizbeth Smiley and Tanner Shumpert also graduated with a Spanish degree. 

FOX54 had the opportunity to speak with Smiley and Shumpert about what this moment means to them.

"It's an accomplishment it's a life goal that I had. No regrets right now, I can look back at this and say yeah, I finished it," Smiley said.

"I'm very passionate about it and I've waited for this day, and I can't wait to see where this language takes me." Shumpert expressed.

In February, Shumpert will be moving to Argentina to teach English. 

Other graduates say that they are excited about the next steps in their lives.