Lakeland celebrates 500-plus new graduates
Lakeland University awarded college degrees 519 students as part of the institution’s 164th commencement on May 9.
Lakeland awarded 397 undergraduate degrees and 122 graduate degrees during three ceremonies at the Wehr Center on Lakeland’s main campus.
Students took classes at Lakeland’s main campus in Sheboygan County, through its six centers located throughout Wisconsin and/or through online programming.
Guest speakers for the three ceremonies were Tom Farley, community outreach director, Recovery.com; David Black, Lakeland University president emeritus; Jane Parke Batten, philanthropist and civic leader; and Scott Miller, president, Virginia Wesleyan University.
All the speakers received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Lakeland.
Each ceremony also featured a student speaker.
Thong Xiong, who works as the Scholars for Success Manager at Fox Valley Technical College, received a master of science in leadership & organizational development and spoke on behalf of the graduate students.
“There will be rooms where you feel like you don’t belong … walk in anyway,” he said. “There will be moments where you’re unsure to speak up. Speak up anyway. There will be doors that don’t open for you. Build your own door.
“Because many of us didn’t come from places where opportunity was guaranteed. We had to recognize it. Fight for it. And now, we have to use it.”
Jeremy Blair, a career battalion chief with the City of Wauwatosa Fire Department and veteran fire/EMS instructor at Waukesha County Technical College, spoke during the undergraduate ceremony for evening and online students. He received a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership & development.
He applauded Lakeland for providing academic credit for his professional experiences prior to returning to the traditional classroom.
“Going back to college didn’t mean I was starting over, rather I was building on everything I had already done,” Blair said. “Through prior learning credits, (Lakeland) recognized the years of training, leadership and real-world decisions, and mistakes, that shaped who I am.
“And for the first time, my experience counted in a way that moved me forward. As I worked through my degree, I realized something – leadership isn’t just something you learn in a classroom. It’s something you live, long before you ever put a name to it. And I know I am not the only one in this room with a story that doesn’t fit into a neat, four-year timeline.”
Lauryn Johnson, of Kenosha, Wis., received a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. She was named Clarence H. Koehler Campus Senior Award winner and spoke on behalf of the traditional-age graduates.
“Somewhere in between all the late nights, the challenges and the victories, we learned something truly meaningful,” Johnson said. “We learned how to be there for one another, the importance of a community and that the differences we all bring are not something we should shy away from, but something that will make us stronger.
“But most importantly, Lakeland has taught us that it is okay if you don’t have every single thing figured out, because growth happens during those moments. It lives in the moments we question everything but choose to push through regardless. As a result, we are not the same people we were when first we arrived. We are stronger, more resilient and better prepared to handle whatever comes next.”
