No one knows exactly how the story will unfold, but as the Class of 2030 gathered in Lewis Auditorium for Convocation on Aug. 25, something wonderful was about to begin.
For Professor Andrea McCook, Flagler College's 2026 Convocation keynote speaker, that uncertainty was exactly the point.
The longtime Theatre Arts professor has spent much of her career directing plays and helping students tell stories. But as the newest Saints begin writing their own college stories, McCook asked them to consider a different role.
They are no longer simply watching from the audience.
They are the main characters.
“Every great story follows a familiar pattern,” McCook said. “There is a beginning that introduces the characters, their backgrounds, and the setting. Then, a conflict is introduced. There are moments of doubt and triumph as the plot moves forward. There are friendships formed, mistakes made, unexpected twists, and ultimately, transformation.”
The annual Convocation ceremony marked the official beginning of the 2026-27 academic year and welcomed the Class of 2030 into the Flagler College community. Faculty and administrators processed into Lewis Auditorium, the ceremonial mace was presented, and each new student received an old railroad spike to reflect on during the ceremony, a tradition symbolizing the beginning of their journey and the legacy they will build during their time at Flagler.
For McCook, the students sitting in Lewis Auditorium had already experienced their intro. Their hometowns, families, friendships, victories, disappointments, hobbies, and high school experiences had all shaped the people they had become.
That was the beginning of their story.
Now, the next act is beginning.
“The curtain rises, the lights come up, and you have stepped onto the stage for the beginning of Act I of your play,” McCook said. “Like every great story, this one begins with uncertainty.”
Some students are living away from home for the first time. Others are commuters trying to find their place on campus. Some arrived excited for what comes next, while others arrived nervous.
For most, McCook said; it is probably both.
She encouraged students to look around the auditorium and recognize that the person sitting beside them may be asking the same questions.
“You do belong here,” McCook said. “You were admitted because Flagler believes in your potential.”
“Every great story includes obstacles,” McCook told the Class of 2030. And every great character faces challenges. Their college experience will be no different.
There will be difficult classes, assignments that do not go as planned, and moments when students question whether they are on the right path. But those mistakes, failures, and unexpected turns are not signs that the story is ending.
They are part of the plot.
“Failure is not the opposite of success,” McCook said. “It is often the path to success.”
She also encouraged the Class of 2030 to say yes to the opportunities in front of them, whether that meant attending a campus event, joining a club, trying an interesting class, studying abroad, attending a guest lecture, or volunteering.
“Take the opportunity,” she said. “Because one opportunity leads to another.”
For McCook, one opportunity can change the direction of an entire story. A single decision to try something new can lead to another opportunity, a new relationship, or an entirely different path than the one a student expected.
It was a message she could speak to from experience.
McCook began her own journey as an actor, earning her MFA from NYU’s Graduate Acting Program before pursuing a professional career in New York City. Her story eventually brought her to St. Augustine and Flagler College, where she has spent more than three decades helping build the Theatre Arts program and teaching generations of students.
But her story, she told the Class of 2030, is still unfolding.
With retirement on the horizon, McCook has begun another journey, by studying for a second career in ministry.
“You never stop learning or discovering a new road in life,” she said. “You will never have it all figured out.”
As the Class of 2030 begins this new chapter, McCook reminded students that their journey is still unfolding, with opportunities, challenges, and experiences that will shape who they become.
“This campus is your stage,” McCook said. “The people sitting around you are becoming your cast. Your professors are your directors and mentors.”
And as the newest Saints begin this next act, McCook left them with the words she hopes will shape the story ahead.
“The next four years will become one of the greatest acts of your story,” she said. “Live it with courage. Live it with curiosity. Live it with kindness. Take chances. Ask questions. Lift others up.”
Then came the final lesson.
“Never forget that the best stories are not about people who never struggle,” McCook said. “They are about people who keep going.”
