Western Governors Commencement Ceremonies....

[publius2k4]

OK gang, just back form Commencement exercises in Atlanta...I was pleasantly surprised at the fantastic job done by the school in pulling this off.

WGU is headquartered in Salt Lake City, so I didn't really expect too much in the satellite graduation I attended in Atlanta....I was wrong!

For starters they selected the Georgia World Congress Center as the primary venue, great choice as it sits along the 1996 Olympics Centennial Park...arguably a superior convention/graduation location as the venue features forward thinking community layout including access to downtown Atlanta and myriad shops, restaurant, and great hotels. I just feel an "energy" in such places, makes it fun. I live near Orlando, a huge tourist/convention area...but I think Atlanta and the GWCC/Centennial Park is a superior choice for this event.

The night before graduation WGU hosted a mixer for graduates and their guests at the Omni Hotel/CNN Center...very cool place! The CNN Center is an accessible feature of the hotel, the WGU event was held on the mezzanine level overlooking this cool Atlanta landmark. WGU had hosts available to help you find your instructors and course mentors...you could finally put a face with that distant voice and interact with the people that helped you achieve your success. I was able to meet my Student Mentor, Chris, my wife and I spent some time rehashing my MBA journey, he's a kind, capable, and gracious friend, a "mentor" in every sense of the word. I took him a ball cap and t-shirt from the hospital departments I now mange as a token gift. I really do feel that he is a part of my success. On graduation day I would hear other students echo my own feelings about the importance their own mentors would play in their academic careers. I think more traditional schools could learn lessons from the WGU program mentor format...in terms of success, student retention, and completion the mentor is invaluable. Had there been someone like that for me in the late 1980's at Troy State University I would likely have finished my Bachelors then, one can't help but wonder how life might have been different. The food was wonderful (especially the cookies), we were invited to bring friends and family, many brought their children...another recurrent theme seemed to be the importance of demonstrating collegiate success for your kids...empowering their success by modelling positive behaviors like graduating from college. They also had a roving "night owl" mascot...I have a picture if I can figure out how to upload it.

Graduation:

The venue was suitable, WGU is graduating 5000 degrees about 3000 Bachelors and 2000 Masters....thankfully only about 10% of graduates made the pilgrimage to participate in the commencement ceremony....so there were 500 graduates and their friends/family...it was a big affair.

I really enjoyed the academic regalia on display. The Course and Student mentors wear their respective gowns, hoods, academic recognition, etc...a rainbow of academic success and excellence. A few I noted were the University of Southern California, University of Florida, and WGU itself.

Past speakers have included many Governors, as one might expect from a school created by a consortium of 19 Western Governors...but we drew a member of the WGU Governing Board who talked about the struggles of adult learners, WGU's success in reaching that audience, and the importance of college education in securing a bright future for America as a whole...I found his speech surprisingly moving, invigorating, and enlightening.

The keynote was followed up by speeches of 4 current graduates. I won't go through them all, but if these four are representative of the overall student body I can proudly state that WGU produces driven and talented graduates who are intelligent and articulate. Their stories were poignant, appropriate and moving. They sound like the stories we here at IC share. Adult student juggling full time jobs, caring for kids and aging parents, working to build better lives for themselves and their families. Some have already begun reaping the rewards of being able to check that box on an application " bachelors degree? Why yes, I have one of those....give me that job!" exclaimed one speaker. Great work by all, I'm honored to be a part of this WGU Alumni community!

They split the Bachelors degree candidates from the Masters. The Bachelors folks adjourned for their own separate ceremony while we stayed put for our "hooding". Family and friends crowded forward into those vacant seats to gets closer to the stage. A live chamber quartet played as two hundred some MBA, MSN, MA, and ME candidates lined up to hear their name called signalling a walk onto the stage, the hooding, and the walk across the stage to receive the degree from WGU President Mendenhall (a living legend in non-traditional degree circles). Cameras flashed, people cheered, it was a moving occasion. Sobs broke out at one point behind me, I overheard a classmate overcome with emotion, her seat mate said "don't start that, you'll get me going" through her tears the girl explained softly "this was my Fathers dream for me, he died last week before he could see me do this". The Rebel shed a few tears of his own at that, I'm glad my faith tells me her Father should have been looking on and sharing in her moment from a far better place...

The line to the stage snaked past all those regalia clad Professors, they would smile and whisper congratulations "you made it, welcome to the club" or "so proud of you". As we reached the platform there were handshakes and more congratulations...everyone seemed so genuinely impressed by the graduates success, they all wanted to share in the love and warm wishes, I shook so many hands!

Around three hours later we finished the last of them (the IT grads went last) then it was a final word by Mendenhall who implored us to share our success and build a better future. then out to grin for pictures with happy family.

It as a great day, so glad I chose to drive up to Atlanta and take part!

Crap....you probably drove right through my town....If I had known, I would have had you stop, and I would have bought you a beer cheersmate

WGU has done winter graduation in Atlanta for the last few years. I have watched for several years. The student speakers have always been especially poignant to me when watching the ceremony.

[rebel100]

Crap....you probably drove right through my town....If I had known, I would have had you stop, and I would have bought you a beer cheersmate

WGU has done winter graduation in Atlanta for the last few years. I have watched for several years. The student speakers have always been especially poignant to me when watching the ceremony.

Free beer tastes best! Sorry I missed you!

[Getiton1]

Awesome!!!!! Soooo proud of you that i am grinning so much it hurts! Well done