Donate
  • About
  • Rent College Pads
  • Advertise
  • Privacy
Search
News
Opinions
Sports
Classifieds
Comics
BMA
Events
Subscribe

Tuesday, February 7, 2023
Print Archive

Eastern Echo
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinions
  • Comics
  • Podcast
  • BMA
  • Events
  • Classifieds
  • Search
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinions
  • Comics
  • Podcast
  • BMA
  • Events
  • Classifieds
Search

Subscribe to the Echo

Donate to The Echo

You can support the Echo by donating through the EMU Foundation and selecting to apply your gift to a specific fund. Any of the funds listed below will provide support to the Echo.

01049 -- EMU Echo Editor Endowed Scholarship:  Provides financial support for the current EMU Echo Editor.

02414 -- Scott Stephenson Eastern Echo Scholarship:  This expendable scholarship is for the benefit of student(s) in the School of Communication, Media & Theater Arts in the College of Arts & Sciences.  It will be awarded to a full or part-time junior or senior EMU student majoring in journalism and working for the Eastern Echo.  The student should be working to self-finance their education and not be eligible for need-based grants.

00825 -- Student Media Development:  Provides support for the Student Media program.

Thank you for supporting the Echo and EMU Student Media.

Give Now


12/17/2018, 11:38am

Graduates of the Class of Fall 2018 celebrate commencement

By Olivia Grills
Graduates of the Class of Fall 2018 celebrate commencement

Share

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Mail
  • Print

There was plenty to celebrate at Eastern Michigan University (EMU) Saturday, Dec. 15, as the graduating class of fall 2018 proceeded with commencements at the Convocation Center. 

Nearly 1700 students, including 1,303 undergraduates, 374 graduate students, and 16 doctoral candidates, gathered at the Convocation Center at 9:30 a.m. to receive their hard-earned degrees. The seats around them were completely filled with friends and family. After a performance of the national anthem by music performance graduate Kelsey Tate, university president James Smith welcomed and congratulated the students. 

“Graduates - today’s ceremony is more than just a celebration,” Smith said. “It is a time when you are being honored for a major accomplishment: earning an Eastern Michigan degree that is nationally recognized for academic excellence...your faculty, staff, and I are exceptionally proud of your achievements.” 

Keynote speaker Frank Sickelsmith - the global director of brand development and strategic partnerships for Autogrill Group SpA -  gave a speech to students after the initial welcome.

“I have traveled all over the world, and I can safely tell you that there’s nobody better - no people better - than the people in the midwest and today there’s no people better than the people here at EMU,” he said. “You have great students, great faculty, and it’s just an honor to be here.” 

Sickelsmith was a graduate of EMU, having earned a B.A. in interdisciplinary studies with a focus on French, international relations, and advertising. He detailed four pieces of advice for students to follow on their journeys beyond college life. 

“You only have one life so remember to take opportunities when they come; they may be perfect, but you can make them perfect,” he said. “Tell people what you want - you got to tell people what your career goals are or else they may forget - develop sincere relationships that will guide that are going to guide your life, take risks and push your comfort level, and when that wave comes, be fabulous, be crazy, be a little stupid, it’s okay - you got it.” 

Students were recognized in the order of doctorates, graduate degrees, honors students, military graduates, and finally B.A. graduates. Forty military veterans graduated with the 2018 class, with audience members who once served asked to stand for recognition. After all graduates were recognized, president Smith asked all students to turn their tassels from right to left to signify their completed graduation. 

Families met with students outside the Convocation Center when the ceremony ended around 11:30 a.m. The Echo reached out to newly graduated students for reactions to their earned degrees. 

Majida Elkadri, earning her B.A. in social work, wishes to continue her schooling to get her master’s and become a clinical therapist. She plans on staying in Michigan for her career, and urges students to continue their degrees and seek them out if they’re still deciding. 

“I’ve gone through a lot of struggles working on my degree, I’ve gone through losing a lot of family members, I’ve gone through deaths I’ve gone through a lot of different stresses,” she said. “Keep on going, keep on fighting - it doesn’t matter how long it takes you to get there as long as you get there.” 

Travis Blevins, a B.A. in product design and development engineering, already has a job lined up as a designer for General Motors after completing two summer internships with them. He extended similar advice to student. 

“Keep your head down and keep pushing - I work with high schoolers in my current job and I always tell them ‘you may not want to go to college now but it will pay off in the end,’” he said. “Not just money wise - it will pay off by feeling like you’ve accomplished something further than high school.” 

The fall semester for EMU ends for current students on Dec. 18, with the winter semester beginning Jan. 7, 2019. 

Share



Related Stories

Women's Resource Center hosts Sex in the Dark

By Ameera Salman

EMU professor Tom Suchan and friend Greg Kulon host show of old King Kong artifacts at the EMU gallery. 

EMU professor showcases King Kong collection in Student Center gallery for the films 90th anniversary

By Marie White

Her Space at EMU creates a safe space for Black women to discuss mental health

By Layla McMurtrie


The Eastern Echo welcomes thoughtful discussion on all of our stories, but please keep comments civil and on-topic. Read our full guidelines here.


Most Popular


2/2/2023, 12:36pm

Michigan's official groundhog predicts early spring in Groundhog Day celebration

By Marie White

Howell Nature Center hosts an annual Groundhog Day event to celebrate the holiday.


2/1/2023, 7:42pm

Makhail Wood: A Record-Breaking Talent


1/31/2023, 8:00am

EMU's REC/IM now offering free personal training and group fitness classes


2/5/2023, 4:52pm

EMU football 2023 recruiting class rated first in the MAC by 247Sports


Podcast


11/10/2022, 11:35am

TheBlockE Podcast


11/8/2022, 11:35am

Student Interview: Pritish Kokate - The Eastern Echo Podcast Ep. 5


11/3/2022, 5:58pm

Special episode: EMU Journalism Professor Dr. You Li speaks with EMU alumni Nathan Bomey


10/27/2022, 6:03pm

Interview w/ Ronia Cabansag - The Eastern Echo Podcast Ep. 3


Tweets by TheEasternEcho
Eastern Michigan Echo To Homepage
  • About
  • Jobs
  • Freelance
  • Submissions
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Distribution

All Rights Reserved

© Copyright 2023 The Eastern Echo

Powered by Solutions by The State News.