'Are You Ready?': Ursinus Students Graduate

By Hillary Anderson

There was not a cloud in the sky when the temperate Collegeville climate welcomed thousands of people to the front lawn of campus on Friday morning.

While the enormous white tent provided shade for more than 3,000 people, cheerfully dressed friends and family of Ursinus’ Class of 2012 also filled both sides of the tent and watched intently as nearly 450 hardworking graduates took their triumphant strides across the stage and received their coveted diplomas.

Those ribboned rolls of paper were the culmination of four years of dedication and hard work for all and obviously stood as the focus of the day, but speakers and leaders also spent the morning shedding light on all the wonderful gifts the Ursinus education still has to offer its new alumni, even beyond the diplomas.

The commencement address was delivered by President of the Association of American Colleges and Universities Carol Geary Schneider who delivered findings on the importance of liberal education and Ursinus’ specifically. “Liberal education in the 21st century has to bring together knowing and doing,” she said in her report on corporate expectation.

Schneider and colleagues have found companies seem to most value good learners with broad backgrounds, both of which she feels Ursinus delivers. With a unique Independent Learning Experience requirement, the Common Intellectual Experience, and a wide range of liberal arts requirements, Ursinus teaches its students exactly what they need to know to enter the real world. “You are good at continuous new learning,” Schneider reassured graduates. Speaking even to those who have not yet found the dream job or nailed down a specific direction, Schneider told the graduates, “It will work out.”

Class of 2012 President Erica Schindewolf and Commencement Speaker Shane Eachus had the same bright outlooks on the futures of the 2012 graduates. Shindewolf said the students have been “transformed by the gifts Ursinus has bestowed upon us,” and reflected on the “unique masterpieces” each student created in his or her time at Ursinus.

Eachus demonstrated the same confidence in his Ursinus degree. Shane asked his classmates, “Are you ready?” As quickly became clear, the question was meant to be rhetorical. While life will present issues, Eachus told the crowd, “We Ursinus students have some experience addressing these big life questions,” joking about UC’s CIE program. Quite seriously, though, Shane reminded his classmates that the Ursinus way is following your heart. “We’ve all learned how to find our passions in life,” the bright leader smiled at his class.

Ursinus College President Bobby Fong sent the graduates forth, saying, “Well done and congratulations.”

There was no throwing of the caps, but smiles were, indeed, abound as the graduates exited the tent and entered the world as UC Alumni.

During the ceremony, honorary degrees were bestowed upon Baccalaureate speaker and President and minister of the United Church of Christ Geoffrey A. Black, Chairman of the Ursinus College Board of Trustees and crowd favorite Jef Corson who served as interim president at the college 2011-2012, and commencement speaker Carol Geary Schneider.

Awards were given to Professor Richard Wallace, Professor Jennifer VanGilder, And Professor Rebecca Lizak for outstanding advising, teaching, and research, respectively.