Class of 2023: 'Hold onto your passion'
This Saturday, Central Michigan University welcomed 1,808 students to graduate this fall semester.
East Broomfield Street and John G. Kulhavi Events Center was backed up with cars and people. Families and friends waited in and outside the building to get their bags checked and tickets purchased so that they could watch the CMU fall 2023 graduation ceremony.
Even though 1,808 graduated, 1,768 of those were physically in attendance to walk across the stage. The graduation had to be split into two separate ceremonies:
- A 9:30 a.m. ceremony showcasing the College of Arts and Media, College of Education and Human Services and College of Science and Engineering;
- A 2:00 p.m. ceremony showcasing the College of Business Administration, The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professionals and College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.
Deanna Wilson graduated with a master's degree. She received her undergraduate from CMU as well, and decided to get her master's in Administration with a concentration in Leadership.
"It's exciting, it's been so rewarding," she said. "It's also a relief to have the process over."
The doctorate and master's degree students wore black cap and gowns, while bachelor's students donned the university's signature colors of maroon and gold. While most students had gold tassels, some had different colored ones, such as the education majors who had light blue tassels.
One of these education majors was Alexis Palumbo, who received her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. Along with the blue cord, she also decorated her cap with the phrase "My turn to teach," and pictures of crayons.
She said she chose the major out of her love for working with children.
"They keep you young, that's for sure," she said.
Palumbo said her mother also works in education as a school secretary, and both of her parents are proud of her.
"It was a very long ride," she said. "Education is a lot harder than people think. This last semester was one of the hardest, but also the best."
The stadium was close to full capacity, and you could feel the excitement rippling through the crowd when students entered and took their seats. This excitement would persist through CMU President Robert Davies' speech.
Davies quoted both Theodore Roosevelt and Taylor Swift in his speech, both who had similar messages to the world: "Even in failure, there is growth."
He said students should "take the chance and strive for excellence," and they should become active participants, not passive observers.
"Take your knowledge and your experience that you gained from your time at CMU and choose to be a leader and a doer," he said. "Hold onto your passion by keeping your heart full of compassion and commitment. They are your guiding lights."
Parents watched their students approach the stage on the edge of their seats, some even rising out of their seats to cheer and get photos and videos of the moment.
One of these parents was Gail Colby, a CMU clinical faculty member within the College of Medicine. Her daughter is Grace Demoville, who received her bachelor's degree in Parks and Recreation.
"She's my baby," Colby said. "It's been awesome, despite her starting during COVID in 2020. The university's been super helpful, and she's graduating a semester early because of it."
She said that her daughter was also able to attend CMU alongside her older brother, Matthew Demoville, who graduated two years prior.
"I love that they could experience college together," she said.
Demoville was one of the last few to walk across the stage, and when she did, her mom rose out of her seat to film and cheer. A bouquet of white roses and a gray teddy bear sat at her feet, ready to had to her daughter once the ceremony wrapped up.
As the tassels were turned, the cheers from audience members and grads could be heard echoing throughout the stadium and outside of it, signifying that history had been made for these former CMU students.
