It was the day they had been working for years for: More than 1,300 college students are now college graduates after ceremonies at two North Country universities Sunday.

St. Lawrence University in Canton awarded 584 degrees, including 23 masters degrees.

Economics, Government, and Psychology were this year's most popular majors.

(Click here for more on SLU's Commencement Ceremony)

Up the road at SUNY Potsdam, 751 students received their bachelor's degrees Sunday. The school handed out its masters degrees the day before.

Students and their families filled the Academic Quad in the summer-like heat for SUNY Potsdam's 178th Commencement Ceremony.

The graduates say the occasion brought mixed-emotions.

"It's been really tough. I transferred here from Schenectady County, and it's been an uphill battle ever since," said Dan Jordan.

"It's really getting really close to what I want to do with my life - and that's education," said David Banker.

"I'm totally sad. Totally sad. It's bitter-sweet," said Bri Benitez.

Typically, colleges choose an accomplished, insightful, and inspiring individual to speak to graduates at commencement ceremonies. At SUNY Potsdam this year, that honor was given to North Country native Dr. Anthony Brennan.

Dr. Brennan received an honorary doctorate and addressed the graduates at SUNY Potsdam as an accomplished inventor. But, he says it all started in Natural Bridge.

"It is unbelievable when I think back of Natural Bridge," Brennan said.

"I'm one of nine, so there were 11 in the family - The town has about 430 people," he said.

Brennan is the inventor of a material called Sharklet. Inspired by a sharks scales, Sharklet is a paper-thin substance that is resistant to bacteria, meaning it can be used to keep surfaces germ free.

"It slows it down, inhibits it, but it doesn't kill the bacteria, it doesn't release anything. It's simply a physical barrier," Brennan explained.

The material could be used in the medical field, at daycares, or even on your kitchen counter top.

However, for now, Sharklett is still undergoing testing and isn't available quite yet.

Brennan says, once it is, the possibilities could be endless.