Farrell Stadium will be jam-packed during the second weekend in May as 2,442 students plan to graduate from West Chester University.
The Colleges of Business and Public Affairs, Education and Health Sciences will hold their commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 9.
Roger Ware Jr., a 1982 graduate from West Chester University, will be the guest speaker. He is the CEO and majority owner of Genesee General, an insurance company based in both Georgia and Colorado. This May, Ware will be installed as President of the American Association of Managing General Agents (AAMGA) in Washington, D.C. Ware graduated from West Chester University with a Bachelor’s in criminal justice and obtained his masters from the University of Colorado a few years later, in addition to his Associates in risk management from the Insurance Institute of America.
Sunday, May 10 at 10 a.m., the Colleges of Arts and Sciences and Visual and Performing Arts will hold their commencement ceremony.
Sunday’s guest speaker, Dr. Nicole Melander, graduated from West Chester University in 1983 with a Bachelors in computer science before obtaining her Masters of Science from John Hopkins in technical management.
From there, Dr. Melander went to George Mason University, where she obtained her Doctorate in philosophy and information technology. Dr. Melander is currently the executive vice president and digital strategy and chief customer officer for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.[pullquote]West Chester University’s Alumni Association is a great place for graduates to look for career opportunities. Many can be found within the association, including webinars and job searching assistance.[/pullquote]
By popular demand, both commencement ceremonies were moved outdoors to Farrell Stadium on West Chester’s south campus.
The announcement earlier this year that commencement ceremonies would be moved indoors, allowing students to bring only a fixed amount of guests, sparked outrage among graduates. After complaints were heard from employees at the university, a survey was sent out and results showed an overwhelming majority in favor of an outdoor commencement.
The outdoor commencement will be held rain or shine. If severe weather is forecasted for either graduation date, the ceremony will be canceled. Indoor plans will be arranged for graduating seniors to hear the speakers.
Because of the high volume of people expected to attend the event, the university encourages family and friends of graduates to park on North Campus and take the shuttle to and from Farrell Stadium.
Graduating from college is a scary and unsure time for many. However, West Chester University’s Alumni Association is a great place for graduates to look for career opportunities. Many can be found within the association, including webinars and job searching assistance.
For many, these four years have gone by so fast. However, graduates are sure to be well on their way with the knowledge and support they received from West Chester University. As Dr. Seuss said, “You’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting so…get on your way!”
Elizabeth Angstadt is a fourth-year student majoring in political science. She can be reached at EA756657@wcupa.edu.