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With a former astronaut urging them to stay grounded as they reach for the stars, Baldwin Wallace University recognized the achievement of 672 graduate and undergraduate students during BW's 168th Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 5 in Ursprung Gymnasium in the Lou Higgins Center.
Before
they
each
took
a
jubilant
walk
across
center
stage
to
receive
congratulations
from
President
Bob
Helmer
and
cheers
from
family
and
friends,
members
of
the
Class
of
2018
were
inspired
by
commencement
speaker
Dr.
Janet
L.
Kavandi,
director
of
the
NASA
Glenn
Research
Center
in
Cleveland.
Noting that "life is full of mysteries and complexities," Kavandi recounted ten lessons she gleaned during more than 33 days in space and 535 orbits around our planet Earth, urging graduates to "establish your goals and never give up."
BW awarded the Honorary Doctor of Public Service degree to Kavandi, whose distinguished career at NASA includes three space shuttle flights.
The ceremony also included special recognition for high-achieving members of the Class of 2018. Spencer E. Badia, a pre-physical therapy major with a perfect 4.0 GPA, received the prestigious Milton T. Baldwin Prize, given to the graduate with the highest academic achievement at BW.
An impressive number of undergraduate students graduated with academic honors: 48 earned summa cum laude recognition with a cumulative grade point average of 3.90 or higher; 74 graduated magna cum laude with at least a 3.75; while another 71 earned cum laude honors with at least a 3.60.
Students in the Dayton C. Miller Honor Society and the Honors Program were also applauded and the May 2018 ceremony also marked conferral of BW's first six Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degrees to graduates of the only BFA in acting in Northeast Ohio and only BFA in classical acting in the Midwest.
Ten
graduates
were
recognized
as
2018
Outstanding
Seniors
for
overall
excellence
and
contributions
to
campus
life
including
academics,
leadership,
service
and
involvement
on
and
off
campus.
The 2018 graduating seniors acknowledged for demonstrating excellence in all areas of their University endeavors are: William Anastasiadis, Andrew Bianco, Michael Brown, Dylan Cook, Kirsten Goddard, Kevin Kaufhold, Madison McNeil, Olivia Murphy, Manolo Sandoval and Katherine Simonis.
Steeped
in
tradition,
BW
Commencement
Day
also
included
a
Baccalaureate
service
at
the
Kulas
Musical
Arts
Building
that
featured
an
inspiring
address
by
Dr.
Christy
Walkuski,
director
of
the
David
&
Frances
Brain
Center
for
Community
Engagement,
along
with
special
music.
Baccalaureate
was
followed
by
a
President's
Reception
in
the
Strosacker
Hall
union
ballroom-
giving
graduating
seniors
and
their
families,
faculty
and
staff
a
chance
to
mingle,
snap
photos
and
enjoy
a
spread
of
heavy
appetizers.
Another
longstanding
custom,
The
White
Rose
Ceremony,
recognized
select
young
women
and
honored
Philura
Gould
Baldwin,
granddaughter
of
BW
founder,
John
Baldwin.
She
helped
establish
the
BW
library
and
the
University's
brown
and
gold
colors.
During "the main event," the Senior Class added distinctively colored ribbons to the "ring of ribbons" in a ritual that ties BW grads together from generation to generation and includes the colors of every graduating class since 1915.
At their upcoming 50-year golden reunion during "Alumni Encore," members of the Class of 1968 will renew their colors on the Ring of Ribbons.
The
Class
of
2018
graduates
now
take
their
places
among
48,000-plus
BW
graduates
or
"Yellow
Jackets
for
Life"
(YJ4L)
who
have
come
before
them
since
the
school's
founding
in
1845.
Watch a Boxcast replay of the big ceremony at the link below. To view and download photos after the ceremony, visit BW on flickr and/or the BW Facebook page for a gallery that will grow in the week following commencement.
WATCH
BOXCAST
VIDEO
>>
SEE
PHOTOS
ON
FLICKR>>
SEE
PHOTOS
ON
FACEBOOK>>
