The largest ever number of students graduated from Bermuda College yesterday afternoon and were told by an alumnus: ?Within each of you comes a potential for greatness?.

Dr. Terry-Lynne Emery, who graduated from the college?s department of academic studies in 1977 and now runs her own obstetrics and gynaecology practice, was the keynote speaker at the college?s 2006 commencement.

She congratulated the 170 students receiving their certificates, diplomas and degrees and told them they each had the potential to make a difference.

?Which one of you will be the next Dame Lois Browne-Evans?? she asked.

The graduation ceremony, held in a marquee on the college grounds, on South Road, Paget, also heard from an emotional Shalane Dill, the student representative for the class of 2006.

The 21-year-old, from Smith?s, who will start a psychology degree at Temple University in Philadelphia in August, wiped away a tear as she told her fellow graduates: ?Let us always remember that we have taken our first step at Bermuda College.

?Today we become Bermuda?s future. The bar has been set and the world is ours to take.?

The commencement was attended by Education Minister Terry Lister, Opposition Leader Wayne Furbert, former Premier Dame Jennifer Smith and Government Ministers David Burch and Michael Scott and included a saxophone performance by Wendell (Shine) Hayward.

The community college offers 20 associate degrees, ten certificate and 14 diploma programmes. Students can also stay on the Island to study at the college for bachelor of business administration and applied arts degrees from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. This year, 14 students received baccalaureate degrees from the university in association with the college.

They included husband-and-wife team Desmond and Kimberley Trott, from Spanish Point.

The couple, who are both civil servants, studied for the same bachelor of business administration degree.

Mrs. Trott, 25, said: ?We have a five-year-old son and work full-time so it made it a lot easier for us to study on the Island. It was very convenient.?

The increased number of students at the college is attributed to more people signing up for continuing education and lifelong learning courses.

One such this year was 50-year-old policeman Donville O?Neal Yarde, a schools resource officer in Somerset, who received a diploma in youth leadership.

He said: ?I signed up not realising what an intensive course it was and I did it in my spare time but I have really enjoyed it.?

Evelyn James-Barnett, the college?s director of communications, said: ?This is our largest ever graduating year. We have as many non-traditional as traditional students now. People are realising how much the college has to offer.?