To get in out of the pouring rain (and to find prime seats), family and friends filed into Zorn Arena on our beautiful UW-Eau Claire campus; they didn’t let the deluge that tried to dampen their spirits get them down on this wettest of UWEC commencement days!
Getting things started
Did you know there are TWO commencement ceremonies? Yep. This year it was College of Arts and Sciences and College of Nursing and Health Sciences degrees in the morning and College of Education and Human Sciences and College of Business degrees in the afternoon. Otherwise we’d lose people because of the never-ending ceremony (haha).
Adding to the delightful (and not too warm this year) environment, the UWEC faculty brass quintet shared some lively music to entertain the growing crowds.
Plus, there were social posts and videos on the big screens.
To officially kick off the ceremony, Mitch Freymiller, chair of the University Senate ran down a list of logistics and announcements to help everyone have an enjoyable ceremony.
Senior shout out video
We were then instructed to get out our tissues because a fun video compilation showed many graduates thanking their parents, professors, staff members, dogs, and more for helping to get them ready to graduate!
The familiar tones of Pomp and Circumstance rang out as the graduates entered the room. Good to see you guys! That took a while, but then we all got to stretch our legs and lungs by singing the national anthem with Gina Cruiciani (bachelor of arts, music) at the morning ceremony and Emily Pikal (bachelor of music education) in the afternoon.
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Patricia Kleine welcomed everyone and introduced those on the platform (aka the “Platform Party” and yes, that’s what they’re really called).
During the morning ceremony, Ashley Suhku, graduating student body president, received the University Medallion for her outstanding leadership of the student body. Congratulations Ashley!
“…This is for my mom. She was the person who taught me this. She busted her butt and cleaned homes so I could go to college. She showed me that it does not matter what I do for a career, as long as I do it 100%. All of these people, and so many more, regardless of their occupation, played such a big role in my life because they care, they give it their all, and they invested time into me.”
UW System President Ray Cross then offered his congratulations, some advice, and even some poetry to the graduates.
“[From Professor Max Garland’s poem]:
‘Here in the diminished light of harvest, though Holsteins graze the hillsides, and cranberry bogs are bursting red, it’s by cultivating wonder — the commonwealth is fed.’ Cultivating wonder — that is what has been happening here. It happens in your hearts and minds, and it is precious, beautiful, and valuable. Don’t ever let it leave you, and your lives — all our lives — will be the richer.”
Words from Chancellor Jim + a 100th birthday
Chancellor Jim remembered experiencing Move-In Day for this graduating class four years ago in his speech — it was his first move-in day at UWEC and now the kiddos are graduating. Awwwww…
He noted our VERY special guest, Blugold alumna Jeanette (Lacktorin) Parizino who, in 8 days, on May 28, will celebrate her 100th birthday! She was in the audience and we sang “Happy Birthday” right then and there. Chancellor Jim presented Jeanette with a copy of the Centennial history book “Building Excellence” and gave her a big hug.
“Everyone in my apartment complex kept saying, ‘Your big day is coming — are you going to be OK?’ I said ‘I hope so!’ You are given one day at a time and hopefully I’ve lived it to its fullest.” — Jeanette Parizino
And he continued with some stories and shout-outs about many of the graduates at the ceremony.
“Dedicated, caring faculty have been part of this University from the beginning — and that will never change.”
Alumni awards
Current grads weren’t the only honorees on this momentous day (c’mon and share the spotlight a little bit). Provost Kleine introduced these Blugold alumni award recipients: Catherine Emmanuelle, Mary Laschinger, Elizabeth Willis, Pat Toutant, Peter and Randi Scobie, Dick and Mary Johnson, Nicole Mickelson, and John Raymond.
Charge to the class
One of only 21 female CEOs of current Fortune 500 companies, Mary Laschinger is the chair and CEO of Veritiv Corporation and a UWEC business administration alum. Mary’s road to the Fortune 500 began with a UW-Eau Claire on-campus interview that led to a job with Kimberly-Clark. She had some good advice for the grads.
“[Your goals] should be YOUR goals, not what someone else wants or expects of you. And, very important, do not let someone tell you what you cannot do...The choices you make will either create opportunity for you or diminish your opportunities.”
The big walk
So. Many. Diplomas. Doctoral candidates got degrees (that’s Dr. to you), master’s candidates got degrees, and bachelor’s candidates got degrees. All the work paid off and they got to walk across the stage at last to lots of hootin’+ hollerin’.
Also, by this time, even with the rain and cool temps, it was WARM in Zorn. ;-) Just sayin’.
Blugold Reflections from two grads
Two graduating Blugolds got to share a message with their fellow students. “Blugold Reflections” at the morning ceremony were delivered by Kallie Friede (bachelor of arts in mass communications), who offered an unconventional wish for an uncertain future for her class.
“I’ve watched us leave our mark on UW-Eau Claire in ways that I never would have thought possible when I came here at 18. As much as we’d like to say we’re not prepared for the adult world, we’ve all watched each other adapt and grow into adulthood in every building and walkway on this campus.”
And in the afternoon, Madeline Gray (bachelor of arts, English teaching) gave us so many construction metaphors we were all laughing at how true everything she said is (nicely done).
“We have constructed ourselves into the people we once dreamed we would become. Now, we have a cornerstone of perseverance, built every time we got back up after tripping on the Hibbard stairs. We have support beams of optimism, crafted during the springs when it was 70 and sunny one day, and snowing the next. We are tiled with hard work, laid during our many late nights in the library and hikes up the hill. We are insulated with the kindness and compassion of our campus community, keeping us warm during our treks across the bridge and cooling us down as we ran through the Blugold Mile.”
Closing remarks and one last song
Provost Kleine wrapped up the ceremony and invited us all to stand and join in the UWEC alma mater (it’s a song) led by Autumn Schacherl (bachelor of music applied voice) in the morning and Kyra Moak (bachelor of music education choral) in the afternoon.
Oh school of Eau Claire, our voices we raise
Accept thou this anthem of undying praise
We pledge to be faithful, stout-hearted and strong
And cherish they memory as our lives are long
Hats off to you! We’re proud of you, Blugolds. And we’ll miss you. Don’t be a stranger — come back for a visit and regale us with stories of your success! We’re sure there’ll be many. Cheers.
