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President's Letter |
Just yesterday they were moving in, and now they’re moving on. Among the sea of RubberMaid totes piled next to mini-vans and hatchbacks jostling for parking spaces near residence halls, there’s a sight that never fails to make me smile: a graduating senior, resplendent in cap and gown, getting that last snapshot in front of the Woodbridge Ferris statue. Commencement is in the air. There is something truly timeless about the academic year culminating in students walking across the stage to receive their diplomas. Faculty are dressed in regalia whose origin dates back to the Middle Ages. Parents, grandparents, spouses, siblings, significant others and best friends cheer from the stands sometimes with the aid of an air horn (a tradition that decidedly does not date back centuries). Then the speeches with their whereby the power vested in us, coupled with the confirmed, successful completion of your academic studies and confer upon you and the Rights, Honors and Privileges here unto and pertaining. Which translate roughly as, the future is now yours, Dear Graduate. And with that (and perhaps one last triumphal air horn blast) the graduating class moves their tassels to the other side of their mortarboards. Each year, Ferris’ commencement ceremonies harbor many stories of achievements earned and dreams realized by our new graduates. With so many great new Bulldog Alumni heading into our workplaces and our neighborhoods, I thought it only fitting to share a couple of my favorite stories from the year’s graduating class. As a student, Marshall Gladding was a lab assistant and tutor at the Academic Support Center, vice president of the Student Alumni Gold Club and took part in mission to trips to Juarez, Mexico to build homes for the poor. He also was group leader for annual 500-800 mile youth bike trips. Marshall “walked” in the Spring Commencement to celebrate his dual degrees in Computer Networks and Systems and Electrical Engineering Technology, although he will actually complete those degrees in December when he finishes his stint as an intern engineer with Boeing Commercial Airplanes in Seattle, Wash., along with some final coursework. Cheytaya Brown is the kind of student who makes everyone feel welcome at Ferris. Maybe that’s one of the reasons she helps out during the University’s Orientation. Cheytaya is president of S.T.A.N.D. Students Taking Action & Nurturing Diversity She helped create a “Dive into Diversity” program, and served on the committee that organized Martin Luther King week activities, which involved more than 1,400 people and raised money for the Mecosta/Osceola Walk for Warmth campaign. Cheytaya’s activities make her a fixture at the Ferris’ Volunteer Center. As happens every year, I will experience a combination of great pride and a little sadness at commencement as I watch Marshall, Cheytaya and the rest of our newest Alumni head out to make their mark upon the world. Best wishes for a wonderful spring and summer. We hope to see you at alumni outing soon (see page 24 for a schedule of events). Sincerely, Jeremy Mishler, E '96 |
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