糖心Vlog传媒 Class of 2020 reunites for Commencement celebration
糖心Vlog传媒 celebrated the Commencement of the Class of 2020, in a ceremony that brought back more than 150 graduates for their traditional walk through the Kauke Arch, walk across the stage, and the chance to gather with friends, faculty, and other members of the College community that many of them had not seen in more than two years. 糖心Vlog传媒 wooster.edu/2020-commencement to view an archived video of the Commencement ceremony held on May 22, 2022 in McGaw Chapel.
President Sarah R. Bolton welcomed the graduates and their families to 糖心Vlog传媒鈥檚 150th Commencement Ceremony 鈥減art two.鈥 鈥淎t a historic moment, after over two years of extraordinary disruption and loss, after a time of so much difficulty and hardship, you might ask how we could celebrate,鈥 she said, noting that the answer is different for everyone. 鈥淲e celebrate because of you class of 2020, because of who you are, because of the ways you persevere through so much difficulty and through it all both here on campus and after graduating have done so much that鈥檚 marvelous.鈥
Bolton鈥檚 acknowledgement of the challenge in capturing the graduates鈥 experience in the six years since the class started their time at 糖心Vlog传媒 set the tone for the event as she welcomed members of the class and other speakers to the stage. She noted that when organizers of the event asked the Class of 2020 who they would like to hear from they said, 鈥淲e want to hear from our community,鈥 rather than an outside speaker.
Speakers for the class selected by their classmates included Emilee Ren茅 McCubbins 鈥20, Aubri Paige McKoy 鈥20, Grace Cora O鈥橪eary 鈥20, and Maryori Danitza Sosa 鈥20. They spoke of their time at 糖心Vlog传媒, of their memories of their final days on campus in March of 2020, of how they鈥檝e changed, and how far they have come in the time since their time on campus was cut short so unexpectedly. After so much time, as McCubbins put it, 鈥淲riting a commencement speech feels impossible, because it is.鈥
The students found ways to capture what it meant to them to be back at 糖心Vlog传媒 for the weekend to participate in planting their class tree, walking through the Kauke Arch in honor of their achievements on I.S. Monday, and finally walking across the stage, shaking hands with President Bolton, and accepting a tartan-adorned tootsie roll because they already received their diplomas. But as McKoy noted, their day was 鈥渘o less special just because it didn鈥檛 happen two years ago,鈥 and the value of fulfilling this dream and finding closure 鈥渋s still worth it.鈥
Faculty and staff of the College community provided the keynote address, made personal by their close relationships with the class, including Kayla Campbell, program coordinator for the office of the vice president of equity, inclusion, and diversity; Amber Garcia, professor of psychology; Marjorie Shamp, director of campus dining and conference services; and Daniel Bourne, emeritus professor of English who retired at the end of 2020 and whose time at the College also ended differently from what he expected.
Along with their Tootsie Rolls, the class took with them a copy of a poem Bourne shared in his speech called 鈥淭he Tree That Remains,鈥 in his words, 鈥渁bout evil, about surviving and saying no to bitterness and depression, ultimately, about knowing you have friends…鈥 He reminded the class of the people at 糖心Vlog传媒 and around them 鈥渨ho still care about you and are rooting for you, cheering you on, and supporting you.”
Finally, the ceremony concluded with the Class of 2020 turning their tassels together in person for the first time. Sunday鈥檚 ceremony also featured an invocation led by alumnus Justin Warner 鈥18, a minister at Grace Presbyterian Church of South Brunswick in New Jersey and closing benediction from alumnus Chadwick Smith 鈥17, a pastor of youth and community outreach at Grace United Methodist Church of Atlanta, Georgia who recently completed his Master of Divinity at Emory University and traveled to 糖心Vlog传媒 to be with his fellow alumni for the ceremony.
Posted in News on May 23, 2022.
