AS SEEN IN THE ROME NEWS-TRIBUNE: Chris Lundy has his bachelor’s degree. He has his master’s. He is even working on his doctorate. But this week, he joins other Georgia Highlands College (GHC) graduates in receiving his associate degree.

The reason?

He wants to officially graduate from the place he feels gave him a strong foundation to go on and do everything he’s doing right now.

“It was always a goal of mine to earn this degree, and I’m thankful the University System of Georgia (USG) has this system in place that allows me to earn this degree after so many years,” Lundy said. “I’m what you consider a ‘reverse credit transfer’ — since I completed my master’s degree in a university system institution, I was able to come back and get my associate degree.”

Lundy will be earning his Associate of Science in General Studies from GHC this week. He has already received his Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Jacksonville State University (JSU) and his Master of Education in Higher Administration from Georgia Southern University (GSU).

“Georgia Highlands College gave me some great opportunities as a student,” he said. “I’m very thankful for the foundation that GHC laid out for me.”

Lundy’s decision to go back and obtain his associate degree ties in with another educational and professional pursuit – he is currently working on earning a Doctor of Education in Student Affairs Leadership at the University of Georgia (UGA) with a focus on transfer services.

“This reverse transfer is another way of showing transfer students that I share in their experiences and all the emotions that come with making the transition from a two-year school to a four-year school,” he said. “It is not always easy, but a new environment, new friends and new challenges can lead to new opportunities.”

Lundy credits GHC faculty for helping him in his own collegiate or professional journey – particularly Jon Hershey, who serves as the Dean of the School of Humanities at GHC.

“If it wasn’t for Dr. Hershey, then I probably wouldn’t have made it [this far],” he said. “Stand strong and remain resilient in your pursuit of an education and find a network of people equally committed to your excellence.”

Lundy currently resides in Atlanta, serving as the academic advising manager in the School of Aerospace Engineering at The Georgia Institute of Technology. In addition to his career and academic pursuits, he enjoys watching sports and advocating on behalf of the Sickle Cell community.