762 degrees awarded at fall graduation

Gallery • 38 Photos

Brittni Vilandre

Marketing, Courtney Waldron fixes grauation cap before the ceremony on Dec. 15.

With excitement pumping and futures to look forward to, 762 students walked across the stage Dec. 15 at the Kay Yeager Coliseum. Eleven graduates received President’s Medals, and all but one had perfect 4.0 GPAs.

DATE | Dec. 15, 2018

LOCATION | Kay Yeager Coliseum

SPEAKER | Valarie McCubbins, Mass Communication

FACULTY AWARD RECIPIENT | Christopher Hansen, associate professor of chemistry

COMMENTS FROM THE GRADUATES

“I have made a really good group of friends starting freshman year. It kinda progressed because their friends came up to MSU so they had graduated before I was done but their friends came up so I always had constant friends. It’s been really fun (that). I got to have a college experience I’d have never expected to have, and I got to be a part of a fraternity [Sigma Nu].” | Adam Sutton, sports and leisure studies, business

“Probably (my favorite part of college was) just the campus life and everyone here, like the friends that I’ve made throughout my four years here. It’s going to be sad to see us part but overall it’ll be fun to see where life takes us. I honestly don’t know [what my plans are after graduation]. I’m working back home now.” | Courtney Waldron, marketing

“All my friends are here really, all the relationships I’ve built. I’m not going to miss classes too much but I’m glad I did decide to come here after all. I decided to take this journey by myself which is awesome. God has just led people in front of me, and he sent people in front of me that really helped me grow. ” | Tanner Conley, business and economics

“The one thing I’m going to miss the most about MSU is the staff. They want to see you succeed, and that’s the thing I like. You need good teachers, good staff and an all-around positive campus to help promote positivity to further student leadership and that’s what some do”. | John Smith, psychology

“I think the community (was my favorite part of college). I was an A-Team member, so I gave tours around campus so I think I’ll remember just being able to show prospective students how great our campus is. Our campus is beautiful.” | Kaylee Lahnstein, education

“Through my experience with residential life and housing, especially this year, since we had a lot of international students move on campus. We tried to make our program as diverse as possible to try to get them immersed in the American culture, and I think that’s what I”ll miss most about MSU, just my time working with residential life and housing.” | Kishma Alexander, master’s in education

“I mean, everything about MSU is fun. The experience, the moving away from home, starting a new life, getting engaged and starting a job. I guess the one thing I’ll miss the most is the people; the students I’ve met, all the different professors, all the different faculty and administration and the fact that everyone helped everyone get to where we are today” said Lacey. “The one thing I’ll remember the most is getting engaged here at MSU, and also I’ve created a family here. Half of them are going to be in the wedding party and the rest are just going to grow up and have kids so it’s really the family unit of it” said Brown.| Engaged mass communication and psychology couple Treston Lacey and Jazmin Brown

“I would make more mistakes. I was so honed in on my path, and [what] I wanted to do, that I never went outside.  So I think if I tried different things, even if I wasn’t good at those things, I would still [have] broadened my horizons, I could have experienced more things than what I’m here for now.” | Whitney Atkinson, English 

“I don’t know if it’s being a Delta, being an RA, being in SGA. I’ve had so many opportunities here. It helped me to develop as a person so I can’t even pick my favorite thing. It’s been so much over four years. This is crazy. To my freshman self, (I’d say) don’t chase these young men without goals. Do better.” | Jaylon Williams, sociology

“The classes that helped me prepare for my future, that’ll be the most memorable part of MSU. I learned a lot which is good. I met good people and met good classmates that could help me.” | Markell Braxton-Johnson, sports and leisure studies

“The professors, and the great friendships that I’ve made (will be the thing I remember the most). It’s probably the interaction that you get with the faculty is incomparable compared to any other university. I’ll be going to Spain now in January for a job and then to Africa with the same company and then start my grad school as well.” | Luka Gebel, economics

DEGREES

• Master’s | 178
• Bachelor’s | 584
• Associate’s | 0

BY COLLEGE

• Dillard College of Business of Administration | 120
• Gordon T. And Ellen West College of Education | 147
• Lamar B. Fain College of Fine Arts | 18
• Robert D. And Carol Gunn College of Health Sciences and Human Services | 349
• Prothro-Yeager College of Humanities and Social Sciences | 61
• McCoy College of Science, Mathematics and Engineering | 67

By DEGREES

• Master of Business Administration | 21
• Master of Arts Education | 4
• Master of Education | 41
• Master of Arts in Criminal Justice | 11
• Master of Arts Humanities | 6
• Master of Health Administration | 6
• Master of Science in Exercise Physiology | 8
• Master of Science in Nursing | 41
• Master of Science in Radiologic Sciences | 24
• Master of Science | 16
• Bachelor of Science | 347
• Bachelor of Business Administration | 99
• Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences | 73
• Bachelor of Arts | 53
• Bachelor of Social Work | 6
• Bachelor of Fine Arts | 5
• Bachelor of Music | 1

Source: Midwestern State University commencement program

CORRECTIONS:

In this story about fall graduation we misspelled the name of Christopher Hansen. The Wichitan apologizes for the error. In addition, an earlier version of this story incorrectly listed the total number of master’s and bachelor’s degrees. The numbers are now correct according to the commencement program.