Thirty-five years and 65 winter and spring commencement seasons later, graduation days are still the highlight of my year.
What used to be one May ceremony is now five. It takes a cast of several hundred people to make our ceremonies the very special moments that are cherished by friends and families. They are moments of joy. They are moments when time is halted. They are moments to be remembered with pride. My favorite moments are many. The morning ceremonies begin about 9 a.m. I usually arrive on campus just before 5 a.m., as the sun is rising. On the Quad, I can hear chirping birds above a sea of white chairs embedded in vast green foliage. I love the peacefulness of this setting and then observing the excitement that begins to brew as the families and friends begin to arrive.
The evening ceremonies begin about 3 p.m. There is a quiet calm in the shade of the giant Elm trees on the Quad that invites one to sit down and relax before the festivities begin.
Before I know it, black gowns are everywhere, and colorful regalia fill the area.
Everyone is smiling, laughing, nervous and excited. The women’s shoes in and of themselves are a sight to behold: stilettos, Grecian sandals, espadrilles, high-heeled boots, sneakers from the next century and every color combination mathematically possible.
The caps are my next favorite adornment. Decorating one’s graduation cap has become quite a tradition. The Christmas lights are my favorite, along with the sparkles and the glitter. And let’s not forget the hard hats.
So many graduates stop to hug and thank me as they march up the ramp to the stage. I am always heart warmed by the fact that on their very special day, they are thinking of others.
After the graduates cross the stage and make their way back to their seats, they are greeted by their faculty of many years. Endless hugs and words of gratitude can be overheard by all. Tears can be spotted on both sides of the receiving line.
Commencement is a time for reflection and wonder. Captured in the face of every graduate walking across the stage are the hopes and dreams for the future, for themselves and for all of us.