Graduation

Graduation day, started off with a Hooding Ceremony for the Master Degree students.  Here is Kevin filing in with the other students...

 

In the hooding ceremony, they call you across the stage and they place the hood (the long piece that hangs down the back) over your head.  This is Kevin being hooded:

After the hooding ceremony...

Then it was time for all graduates of all levels to line up with the faculty....

First the students marched in, then the faculty.  I didn't know that I was going to be on stage till the night before....then right before we marched in, someone said the first 6 people will be in the front row...so immediately 5 people went to the back of the line and that left me....yep 2nd in line right in the front row.  Ugh.  That just meant I had to be good, no fidgeting or talking.....

 

Then the stage dignitaries came in (the provost, and president and speakers and deans...)

This guy (Pauline thought he was funny)

Then people spoke....
The Provost:

The President:

Then the long line of graduates.  There were over 7000 graduates and 1100 who participated and walked across the stage...that made for a long wait to sit...so I waited and watched for Kevin:

There he is.....

After Kevin, we just waited for all the graduates to be done....This is me, looking over to the side at the line of graduates thinking "how many more?"

I joke, but really, this is what I do, it is really what we work so hard for every day at the University.  It is always great to see students succeed and remember what we do is really making a difference in student’s lives.   Seeing families celebrate with their student, and young kids looking up at their mom or dad so proud of what their parent has accomplished, reminds us that we not only touch our student’s lives, but the lives of everyone they touch too.  So impressive.  

And then graduation was over.....I think all that studying made Kevin's head hurt: 

And he had tears of happiness....ok, I think it was just that the sun was really bright. 

And here is the two of us together in our graduation regalia.

Congratulations Kevin!  I am proud of you!