“Do you feel blessed?” That was the question that Mike Couick, the keynote speaker at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College’s commencement exercises, posed to graduates last night.

Jonathan Hickman answered that question with a definitive yes.

“It’s a blessing. Its a blessing to actually be here and graduate,” said Hickman, who received his associate in arts degree and plans to pursue dreams of becoming a filmmaker.

Couick encouraged all graduates present to pursue their dreams while acting in defiance of obstacles that stand in the way of accomplishing them.

“Never put a ceiling on your dreams,” he said to the audience.

That’s advice Couick said he applied to his life, which led him to a successful career and his current position as president and chief executive officer of the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina.

To drive home his point of acting defiantly in the pursuit of one’s dreams, Couick cited three heroes who inspired him.

The first was former Great Britain Prime Minister Winston Churchill. He recalled that in 1940, Churchill rallied his country to fight back against Nazi Germany in spite of immense odds. Couick also discussed a lesser-known trait of Churchill as well, noting that he battled manic depression.

“In doing so, he defied his own shortcomings,” Couick said.

Everyone has shortcomings, Couick said, and overcoming them is a key component to success.

The second of Couick’s heroes was civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. He said King’s vision for reform and equality was an example of not limiting dreams.

What Couick said inspired him the most about King was that he fought conventional wisdom by enlisting a peaceful avenue for reform in lieu of brute force.

The most inspirational hero for Couick was his late son Campbell, who was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of two.

Although Campbell eventually lost his battle with the disease years later, his father and many others found hope in him because of his undaunted attitude.

Couick talked about how his son still learned how to dance, rode toy motorcycles, and planned elaborate take-out dinners.

Couick said that his son often sent him out to pick up food from several restaurants to create a feast. Over time, Campbell developed quite a sophisticated palate and began to expand the number of restaurants on his take-out list. That eventually required Couick’s take-out trips to become treks across the entire city of Memphis, where Campbell was hospitalized at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Even after doctors told Cambell’s family that nothing more could be done to save his life, he maintained that same attitude that inspired those same doctors to often visit him after they finished work.

“There’s something inspirational about that,” said Couick.

Couick finished his address by encouraging graduates to achieve their dreams.

Bill Laurson said he achieved his dreams through his daughter Jessica, who graduated from OCtech’s nursing program last night.

“It makes you feel that you’re a good parent and I’m happy she succeeded in her goals,” Laurson said, adding that his daughter was his first child to graduate college.

Hickman sounded as if he was ready to accept Couick’s challenge.

“Now, we can go out and make a difference,” he said.

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