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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Chancellor Randy Pembrook oversaw the 2019 fall commencement exercises Friday and Saturday, Dec. 13-14. Ceremonies in the First Community Arena at the Vadalabene Center on campus for the 1,186 eligible graduates began Friday afternoon and concluded Saturday afternoon. All of the ceremonies can be viewed at siue.edu/tv.

“On behalf of SIUE, I want to extend our excitement for the nearly 1,200 students graduating this weekend,” Pembrook said. “At this very special time of year, the accomplishments of these students add to the joy that family and friends are feeling. We know that in joining over 100,000 fellow Cougar alums, these graduates will become an essential part of the workforce in the Metro East. Congratulations and best wishes for commencement and the holidays.”

The SIU System Board of Trustees was represented by SIUE alumnus John Simmons and SIUE student trustee Mackenzie Rogers, who began by addressing the School of Nursing (SON) graduates Friday afternoon.

Andrew Greenwood, assistant professor of musicology and graduate program director in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), was SIUE’s 2019 Teaching Excellence Award winner. He addressed the graduates during the Saturday afternoon ceremony that featured the Graduate School, CAS, and Schools of Engineering and Pharmacy. He discussed the way that education touches people beyond their actual program of study, and the human bond that education nurtures.

“It’s common advice to graduates to ‘do what you love,’ but more importantly I would say love people in what you do,” Greenwood said. “Being curious, listening to others and learning from their experiences, getting to know people of different backgrounds and being willing to change yourself and your thinking in the process are all SIUE values that will serve you well in shaping a changing world.”

The Saturday afternoon student speaker was Sydney Daniel, who earned a bachelor’s in mass communications from CAS. “Something that I found extraordinary about higher education is that we are all different,” she said. “Everyone sitting in this room is inherently different from the person beside them. That is why when we chose to continue into higher education, none of our reasons were the same.

“College gave us the time to focus on our goals and realize that personal life is as important as our professional life. When we go out into the world to find careers, it’s going to look amazing to have a degree from an institution with such high standards, but those employers will see much more, and they will appreciate the well-roundedness of our abilities. College made us connections, college gave us confidence, and college gave us the tools to be successful.”

Saturday morning’s student speaker was Kaylynn Woolfolk, who earned a master’s in education from the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior (SEHHB). The morning session also featured the Graduate School and the School of Business.

Woolfolk’s inspirational journey involved being academically suspended twice from SIUE as an undergraduate. She eventually completed an undergraduate degree at another institution, and returned to SIUE to compete her master’s.

“I graduated at the top of my class and achieved every goal I set for myself,” said Woolfolk of her time at Lincoln University in Missouri. “That still wasn’t enough for me, though. I still felt like I had a purpose at SIUE, and I wanted to finish what I started. I applied to graduate school, and honestly thought I would not be admitted. Once I received my acceptance letter, I vowed to never repeat the same mistakes.

“I made a commitment to myself and my family to finish strong. I stand before you today, a graduate and alum of this wonderful institution. I challenge you all to finish your personal race or marathon, don’t be afraid to fail, but persevere.”

Fall commencement began Friday afternoon as Rebecca Phillips, who earned a bachelor’s in nursing, was the student speaker.

Phillips had specific advice for the SON grads. “Have integrity, always do the right thing even when no one is watching,” she said. “Have accountability to those you serve. It will build your character as a nurse and your relationships with your patients. Don’t let the stress of the day derail you from doing the right thing.  There will be days that will test you in every possible way. 

“Ask questions, the wisest people I know ask questions. Questions open doors to learning. Wisdom allows you to apply knowledge in a manner that promotes wellness and good into your role as a nurse. Keep learning, you may be the next Florence Nightingale.” 

Phillips also encouraged her peers to be open to change and to be inclusive. “Healthcare is constantly changing, growing, and developing,” she said. “Change can open new doors that you thought originally had no purpose. Healthcare is a team environment, include your team and support each other. Open yourself up to other cultures, beliefs, and practices. You will meet many people in your profession, from all over the world, and there will be so much you can learn from them. Challenge yourself to learn something each and every day.”

Photo: SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook congratulates School of Nursing graduate Virginia Williams.