Graduates react to confetti during Tyler Junior College's spring commencement at Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas, on Friday, May 11, 2018. (Chelsea Purgahn/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

More than 1,200 students celebrated one of the biggest days of their lives on Friday.

Tyler Junior College conferred degrees on 1,282 students in three ceremonies at Wagstaff Gymnasium on the campus.

State Sen. Bryan Hughes spoke to graduates during two of the ceremonies. Hughes is a TJC alumnus and told students that his mother going back to school changed his life.

“To provide for the family as a single mom, she needed more and the Lord opened doors to allow her to come to TJC,” Hughes said. “What a blessing that was.”

The college also celebrated two major milestones — its first graduating class of veterinary technician students and its first cohort of Chapel Hill ISD’s Early College High School graduates.

The 15 Chapel Hill seniors received their degrees from TJC before they graduate from high school on May 25.

“As you prosper and you improve the world around you, you lift others up with you,” Hughes told the graduates.

Twitter: @TMT_Cory

See more photos from the graduation here.