‘It was an honor’: UNC Charlotte sees record-breaking 2024 graduating class

CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Over the weekend, auditoriums across North Carolina were filled with rhinestone hats, proud parents and the echoes of names that make up the class of 2024 college graduates.

Appalachian State University, Wingate University, and UNC-Charlotte all parted ways with thousands of students who have spent years of their lives learning, growing, and preparing for the future.

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“I feel like everything that I have done as an adult leads up to where I am right now, UNC-Charlotte PHD candidate Abhishek Shibu said.

The graduate, who majored in nanoscale science and spent six years in Charlotte, ended his final semester by giving a speech in front of thousands.

“It was an honor to rub shoulders with such inspiring bodies,” he said on the podium.

In 2024, it is estimated that four million students will graduate from colleges across the U.S., entering the workforce in the midst of uncertain economic times that have fueled a tough job market.

A recent report by the Strada Institute found that more than half of four-year college graduates are underemployed a year after graduation. A grim statistic for the millions that are starting out the job hung, but getting your foot in the door in today’s economy does have its perks.

2024 graduates are slated to make more money today than those walking the same stage just one year ago.

“Everyone is very optimistic about what the future holds,” Shibu said.  “It is all a moment of cherishness, a moment of reminiscence and a confident expectation of the future.”

UNC-Charlotte’s spring graduating class is record-breaking.  The university says about 5,100 students graduated over the weekend.

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