MARIETTA - In a sign of the harsh economic times, even an impressive college degree and a perfect 4.0 grade point average do not immediately guarantee a job.

That's one of the first real world lessons that Zachary Hope, 24, of Watkinsville, has learned since earning a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering technology and Southern Polytechnic State University President's Distinguished Scholar Award for his class' highest GPA. He and 319 other SPSU students graduated on Saturday in the university's largest fall commencement class.

However, Hope is optimistic about his chances of landing a job soon. But he's also considering graduate school as a backup plan.

"It is tough, but there's definitely jobs available," he said. "The market is kind of flooded. You've got a lot of people with experience. But I feel confident."

If finding a job after graduation was a worry for the 210 graduates who participated in Saturday's commencement, they didn't show it. They smiled and posed while receiving their degrees to loud cheers and camera flashes from an exuberant audience, filled with their families and friends who packed the campus gymnasium. A trend in large graduating classes made it the final time SPSU will conduct a single ceremony.

The fall class of 2009 was addressed by Dr. Susan Herbst, executive vice chancellor of the University System of Georgia. She also serves as the USG's chief academic officer, overseeing all academic programs for Georgia's 35 public colleges and universities. In addition, she teaches public policy at Georgia Tech.

Herbst previously taught political science at Northwestern University, served as a dean at Temple University, and was provost at the University of Albany-State University of New York, serving as acting president from 2006 to 2007. She is a graduate of Duke and University of Southern California.

In her address, Herbst reminded the graduates of the importance of balancing human interaction with an explosion of technological advances in the world, such as Internet dating, automated teller machines and online bookstores.

"On your way to the top, Southern Poly graduates, be thankful for human contact even if it is annoying at times," she said. "Appreciate those unplanned contacts with others."

After the ceremony, Eric Pollard of Smyrna was simply relieved upon accepting his bachelor's degree in arts English and professional communication. The road to higher education has been a long journey for the 32-year-old. The self-described "non-traditional" student said he previously didn't focus on his education.

"I didn't have a real direction for what I wanted to do," said Pollard. "It wasn't until a few years ago that I started looking into writing as a career and major that I found Southern Poly."

Now, Pollard said he is looking forward to returning to campus in January to begin working towards a master's degree in information design and communications.