After
a
year
on
hold
due
to
the
pandemic,
the
pageantry
of
commencement
day
was
back
at
Baldwin
Wallace
University
on
Saturday,
May
8,
when
BW
celebrated
both
May
and
December
2020
graduates
and
May
2021
grads
in
three
ceremonies.
Held
outdoors
at
George
Finnie
Stadium,
with
physical
distancing
and
masks
in
place,
the
170th
and
171st
BW
Commencement
ceremonies,
at
9
a.m.,
12:30
and
4
p.m.,
marked
the
momentous
milestone
of
college
graduation.
Chilly
spring
weather
was
no
match
for
the
warmth
and
joy
of
the
celebration,
led
by
BW
President
Bob
Helmer.
After
a
charge
read
by
Agnes
Dover
'76,
chair
of
the
BW
Board
of
Trustees,
each
graduate
was
announced
by
name
and
took
a
triumphant
walk
across
the
stage
at
the
south
end
of
the
stadium.
2020
grads
encouraged
to
'tell
their
stories'
Addressing
about
200
returning
2020
graduates
(out
of
900
who
earned
BW
degrees
during
2020)
at
the
9
a.m.
ceremony,
Playhouse
Square
President
&
CEO
Gina
Vernaci
acknowledged
the
challenges
of
the
past
year,
traced
her
own
precarious
journey
to
success
and
referenced
lyrics
from
the
smash
hit
musical
"Hamilton"
throughout
her
motivational
remarks.
"When
you
are
facing
the
obstacles
that
will
come
your
way,
it
is
not
the
circumstances
that
define
you,"
Vernaci
said.
"It
will
be
what
YOU
do
about
it.
YOU
will
define
your
destiny.
It
is
you
who
'tells
your
story.'"
President
Helmer
and
Provost
Stephen
Stahl
presented
Vernaci
with
an
Honorary
Doctor
of
Humane
Letters
degree
following
her
speech.
Class
of
2021
urged
to
'make
it
happen'
Victor
Ruiz
'99,
executive
director
of
Esperanza,
delivered
an
inspiring
address
at
two
afternoon
ceremonies
staged
for
approximately
680
May
2021
grads.
Ruiz,
who
was
awarded
an
Honorary
Doctor
of
Public
Service
at
the
4
p.m.
ceremony,
reflected
on
the
lessons
learned
from
the
challenges
of
the
past
year
and
summed
them
up
in
closing.
"Go
out
into
this
world
with
urgency
and
without
fear,
be
vulnerable,
open-minded,
make
mistakes,
ask
for
help
and
put
together
a
team
that
has
your
back,"
he
encouraged
the
graduates.
"Take
advantage
of
your
privileges,
your
education,
your
status
to
benefit
you,
your
family
and
your
fellow
human
beings.
Fight
for
equity
and
oppose
hate."
"Lastly,"
he
continued.
"Do
not
let
anyone
tell
you
to
stay
in
your
lane
or
to
wait
your
turn.
The
world
moves
too
fast
and
changes
too
suddenly
to
sit
back
and
wait
for
things
to
happen.
So,
make
it
happen."
Academic
Honors
Special
recognition
for
high-achieving
members
of
the
Class
of
2021
started
with
the
announcement
of
Jacob
Luther
'21
as
the
winner
of
the
prestigious
Milton
T.
Baldwin
Prize,
established
in
1859
and
given
to
the
graduate
who
represents
the
highest
academic
achievement
at
BW.
Luther
scored
a
perfect
4.0
all
four
years
at
BW
en
route
to
earning
a
B.A.
in
Finance
and
German.
An
impressive
number
of
those
earning
undergraduate
degrees
at
all
three
ceremonies
graduated
with
honors:
93
were
acknowledged
for
achieving
summa
cum
laude
honors
with
a
cumulative
grade
point
average
of
3.90
or
higher;
120
graduated
magna
cum
laude
with
at
least
a
3.75;
while
another
74
earned
cum
laude
honors
with
at
least
a
3.60.
Elite
groups
of
students
in
the
Dayton
C.
Miller
Honor
Society
and
the
Honors
Program
were
also
applauded.
Super
Seniors
Ten
graduates
were
recognized
as
2021
Outstanding
Seniors
for
overall
excellence
and
contributions
to
campus
life,
including
academics,
leadership,
service
and
involvement
on
and
off
campus.
The
2021
graduating
seniors
acknowledged
for
demonstrating
excellence
in
all
areas
of
their
University
endeavors
are:
Aubrey
Baumler,
Stanley
Bleich,
Chris
Bradshaw,
Elijah
Green,
Clare
Helmer,
Emma
Hubbard,
Justin
Lew,
Hana
Najm,
Erin
Neff
and
Haley
Wieszecinksi.
BW
Senior
Class
Officers
were
also
recognized:
Noah
Kostick,
president;
Matthew
Butt,
vice
president;
Joseph
Bernardo,
secretary;
and
Jamie
Alexander,
treasurer.
The
2020
Milton
T.
Baldwin
and
Outstanding
Seniors
are
among
the
many
honors
linked
here.
Pomp,
circumstance
and
tradition
Steeped
in
cherished
traditions,
BW
Commencement
weekend
also
included
a
Friday
afternoon
White
Rose
Ceremony,
recognizing
select
young
women
while
honoring
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
Saturday
events,
each
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.
Live
stream
replay
and
photos
Graduates
in
the
Classes
of
2020
and
2021
now
take
their
places
among
nearly
50,000
BW
alumni
or
"Yellow
Jackets
for
Life"
(YJ4L)
who
have
come
before
them
since
the
school's
founding
in
1845.
BW
will
preserve
and
share
memories
of
the
big
day
in
several
ways.
View
a
Boxcast
replay
of
the
full
ceremony
at
the
links
below.
To
view,
download
and
share
general
photos,
visit
BW
on
Flickr
and
look
for
the
2021
Commencement
Albums.
Please
note:
A
free
Flickr
account
is
required
to
download
photos,
and
photos
may
not
be
uploaded
for
several
days
after
commencement.
You
can
also
visit
the
BW
Facebook
and
Instagram
accounts
in
the
week
following
commencement
as
we
add
galleries
of
photos
from
the
event.
Graduates
may
also
order
professional
photos
from
GradImages,
which
captures
photos
and
sends
proofs
directly
to
each
grad.
Contact
GradImages
at
(800)
261-2576
or
giservice@gradimages.net
with
any
questions.
