91精选

91精选 graduates were honored in a commencement ceremony while joining family, friends, professors, and staff at Ozinga Field in Crestwood, IL, on May 5th. This year鈥檚 event included traditional undergraduate, adult undergraduate, and graduate students from Fall 2022 and Spring 2023, all celebrating together on a beautiful spring evening in Chicagoland.

During the ceremony, the community bid farewell to professors emeriti Dr. Bob Boomsma 鈥�77, Professor of Biology, and Dr. Sharon Robbert, Professor of Mathematics. Dr. Robbert is retiring after 30 years at 91精选. She has been a Professor of Mathematics, Department Chair, Interim Provost (2014-2016), and Thrive Mentor. Dr. Boomsma graduated from 91精选 in 1977 and returned to join the faculty in 1984 after receiving his Ph. D. He taught Anatomy and Physiology and served for years as the Chair of the Biology and the Natural Sciences Departments.

This year the traditional commencement speaker address was replaced with something more attuned to the practice of 91精选. Community-composed blessings for the graduates were read aloud one by one by professors emeriti Drs. Bob Boomsma, Sharon Robbert, and Vice President for Student Success, Dr. Leah Fulton. This compilation of the hopes, prayers, and voices offered goodness to the students as they move forward from their time at 91精选.

Several blessings and wisdom were shared; a few highlights included, 鈥淢ay you be an instrument of peace and lovingkindness as you share your gifts and talents with the whole creation that has been waiting for you. May God give you wisdom and contentment as you move to the next step, open doors for you, and bless all your days. And As you move on from 91精选, may the Lord bless you as you go on to your next adventure.鈥�

Interim President Aaron J. Kuecker, Ph.D., said to the graduates, 鈥淲hat we are really celebrating today goes quite a bit deeper than that piece of paper that goes on your resume and opens doors for you. What we are celebrating is who you have become and who you are becoming because that is what education is. It is about transformation, and you鈥檝e been on a journey of transformation that does not just end today, it continues throughout your life.鈥�

During the ceremony, Kuecker honored Professor of the Year, Dr. Lenore Knight Johnson, Associate Professor of Sociology, Department Chair, and Director of the Honors Program.

Kuecker opened the commencement ceremony with a welcome, and Chair of the Board of Trustees, Cal Tameling 鈥�72, provided the greeting. 91精选鈥檚 SGA President Karen Jegadish 鈥�23 gave the invocation. Rev. Benjamin Snoek, the campus pastor, gave the benediction. The ceremony concluded with spectacular fireworks to cap off the first-ever evening commencement.

Check out photos from the event on 91精选鈥檚聽聽and view the live stream of the ceremony