More than 640 students will qualify for degrees when fall commencement ceremonies are held Dec. 14 in Hammond.
“There are 644 participants for graduation, most have got their gowns and we are hoping to see all of the graduates turn out,” said Kale Wilk, a university spokesperson.
Qualifying students either completed their academic requirements during the summer or are completing them this semester.
Ceremonies will be held at the Fitness and Recreation Center in Hammond. A 10 a.m. ceremony will honor students who have completed their studies in University College as well as the Colleges of Nursing and Business. A 2 p.m. ceremony will recognize students from the colleges of Engineering and Sciences; Humanities, Education and Social Studies, and Technology.
PNW will live stream the ceremonies at www.pnw.edu/commencement/commencement-live/.
Students planning to participate recognize the importance of commencement.
“I am the first one in my family to do this and it’s something that my parents are very proud of me for doing,” said Erica Brown, a Liberal Studies major who looks forward to the ceremony. “The fact that I am at the finish line shows that I’ve been able to overcome obstacles and become tougher and more knowledgeable.
“I had my doubts during obstacles,” she said. “Those hard obstacles are what make this journey worth it. … You have to overcome things in life.”
The commencement keynote speaker is 2009 PNW alum Wade Breitzke, founder and CEO of WeCreate Media, a marketing agency based in Valparaiso.
Breitzke’s dedication to community and entrepreneurship was recognized early in his career when the U.S. Small Business Administration named him Indiana’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year. He was recently honored as a Small Business Advocate.
After the ceremonies, graduates and their guests are free to take photos at campus landmarks, including the PNW lions and the bell tower.
“Starting Dec. 6, the lion statues in front of NILS and TECH will be wearing mortarboards, which will make for some fun graduation pictures,” said Wilk. “Plus, during the week of commencement, special photo spots will be set up in the Classroom Office building and the Student Union Library to make it even easier to capture those memories.”
Some students understand that commencement represents the start of a new chapter in their lives.
“I’m ready to get my career started,” said Kenneth Lawrence Stone, a Marketing major. “I’m a little sad that my time here is ending but excited for what the future holds for my opportunities in my field.
“It seems like just yesterday when I first walked through those doors of my first class,” he said “But time flies fast, and now I have an internship in marketing to help me with my future … I really want to have that degree as it is all of my PNW experiences in the form of a degree.
Glen Williams, who is completing requirements for a master’s degree in Communication, is also eager about his future. He wants to ultimately get a doctorate degree. But he said he most values the support PNW provided.
“It’s always important to remember those who were there for you when you needed them the most,” he said. “When I first came into this degree program I learned I had so much more I needed to learn before I would be even remotely prepared for a PhD program.
“One of the things I feel will most resonate with people is understanding how important it is to have a mentor and incredible advisors, and being able to allow them to motivate you and push you is paramount,” said Williams. “When people say the phrase, we did it, what they’re really saying is we did it together.”
Damani Wicks contributed to this article.