CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 21 (UPI) -- "American Idol" second-place winner Clay Aiken has enjoyed a stellar year, but he says graduating from his North Carolina college was the best of all.
After losing "American Idol" to Ruben Studdard, Aiken -- a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte -- went on to record what turned out to be a double platinum album, "Measure of a Man," and the best-selling single, "This is the Night." He also won an American Music Award and a Billboard award.
"This has been an amazing year for me and so many people here from UNC-Charlotte have been a part of that for me," said Aiken. "This is more special to me than a lot of the things that have happened to me this year."
Aiken was the last of 593 graduates of one of two UNC-Charlotte graduation ceremonies Saturday.
Charlotte station News-14 said the 25-year-old singer requested he be allowed to sit with other undergraduate and to walk across the stage to receive his bachelor's degree in special education without fanfare or performing.
