Georgia Southern University (GS) broke tradition at this year’s commencement ceremony by having two students sing the national anthem.
Generally the university only hosts one singer for the national anthem, however, faculty members in charge decided to honor a decade-long friendship instead.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to know that we have professors that care as much as they do and will go to bat for us and advocate for us as strongly as they do,” Isabella Wallace said.
Wallace became fast friends with Jackson Murray in the seventh grade.
“I convinced Jackson to join the chorus at a Halloween party,” Wallace said. “He came dressed up as a soccer player because he just threw on some soccer gear. My mom and I told him he should join the chorus, and we somehow convinced him and he loved it.”
A few decades laters and the pair were asked to perform the national anthem on Dec. 13 at the university’s commencement ceremony.
Murray and Wallace have been singing together since their performance of Hairspray in high school.
During their time at Eagle Nation, they took part in the Southern Chorale, traveling to Germany twice and winning two international singing competitions.
Both GS grads named Shannon Jeffreys, director of choral activities, as their biggest influence.
“I would not be the leader I am today without these wonderful examples,” Murray said. “The people at the office of admissions and the choral department here are fantastic and professional. They do the things for professional development, not for themselves, but for their students, for their workers and for their employees.”
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