University of Texas at Tyler President Dr. Michael Tidwell greets graduate Nila Erica Hollis with her doctoral degree during the commencement ceremony at the school on Friday Dec. 14, 2018. (Sarah A. Miller/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

Students can learn a lot about hard work and determination from Dr. Svetislava “Sasha” Vukelja, but during the University of Texas at Tyler’s Fall 2018 commencement ceremony, she also wanted to impart other equally important lessons, such as appreciation and joy.

The university was to recognize 1,510 degree candidates over the course of four ceremonies set for Friday and Saturday.

Vukelja was selected to give the commencement address for the College of Nursing and Health Sciences and the Soules College of Business, and her husband, Dr. Larry Anderson, was chosen to give the commencement addresses for the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Education and Psychology and Engineering.

The ceremonies marked the debut of UT Tyler’s new graduation regalia, with students sporting navy gowns with orange trim to match the school’s colors.

As a young woman, Vukelja and her mother fled Communist Yugoslavia and eventually started over in America with no connections and not speaking the language. Dr. V, as she is known, went on to graduate from college and joined the U.S. Army to become a doctor. She served 17 years. Later, she and Anderson, also a former Army doctor, relocated to Tyler and have since planted themselves in this community.

The two received this year’s T.B. Butler Award for their selfless service to the Tyler community. UT Tyler President Michael Tidwell said the couple’s work has helped shape East Texas in many ways including: bringing the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure to Tyler, serving on boards for community organizations and helping raise $30 million for endowed scholarships at UT Tyler.

Dr. V told students she wanted them to take four lessons away from her story:

Do whatever you have to do so one day you can do what you want to do; work as if you’re going to live forever, but behave as if you’re going to die tomorrow; never give up on your dreams; and be an encourager.

She also encouraged students to look around themselves and see how lucky they are to have these opportunities.

“I am such a proud American,” she said. “I wasn’t born here but I tell you what, I got here as soon as I could. See your country through eyes of someone like me, who did whatever it took to get here.”

The most important of the lessons she had to impart was to spread hope. Her successes in life were possible through hard work and the help of others.

“It is your dream, but you will need others to help you have it,” she said. “I want you to be an encourager, to be there for others, to be that right person at the right time. Be a shining light and plant the seeds for others. Do not forget who you are.”

To close, she challenged the audience to remember the words to the song “This Little Light of Mine,” before leading the thousands in attendance in song.

“This little light of mine/ I’m going to let it shine/ Oh, this little light of mine/ I’m going to let it shine/ Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.”