The graduation was in the arena where basketball games are held. There were chairs set up for graduates on the court, and the rest of the seating was first come first served.
We showed up early enough to get seats near mid-court three rows up.The ceremony was for business and education graduates, and apparently a few stranglers from other programs. I counted 600 in all. Given my past experiences I was ready for a long ceremony.
Ms Carisma was one of the first students to walk into the arena and so was about the fifth or sixth of the six hundred there to have her name called and receive her hood. She sat on the front row, which I found kind of humorous because she had commented that she would have to do her best to stay awake. You can't hide that you are sleeping on the front row.
The main speaker was relatively humorous and gave a speech that probably was better directed toward me than toward my sister. The main gist of it could be summarized by the statement, "Be skeptical rather than cynical because cynicism is laziness." He probably spoke for twenty minutes.
When names started getting read off I noticed that there were two people reading names. Graduates walked t
o podiums on either side of the court and so it essentially doubled the speed of reading off the graduates and having them come up. At Evangel, the process easily took 30-45 minutes. I think the entire process at Friday's graduation took 15 minutes.Within 65 minutes of the start of the ceremony it was complete. We almost waited for a table at the Outback longer than the actual graduation ceremony took. This improved my opinion of the situation tremendously. It was nice to get time to talk to and eat with family afterwards.
I have two closing thoughts. First, why do institutions of higher learning bother with an alma mater song? They are always real hokey. Second, now I am the least educated between me and my sister. I hope it don't show.
6 comments:
Interestingly enough, curing world hunger is mostly a logistics problem. That was my sister's concentration.
Congrats to Ms. Carisma!
I am glad for you that the ceremony was so well organized. I guess by the time you get to that level they have learned how to do it right!
I think every school should have the same exact song...I mean if 2 bits 4 bits can work for every school then we should be able to come up with a uniform cookie cutter put the name in song!
[why do institutions of higher learning bother with an alma mater song?]
Because they are cool. It is a nice tradition to have. Really though, it is no bother. We enjoy the alma mater. We sing it before all basketball and football games. We put our arms around the people next to us and sway back and forth and then at then end we lift them up. Did evangel not have one?
Crimson and the Blue
Far above the golden valley
Glorious to view,
Stands our noble Alma Mater,
Towering toward the blue.
Lift the chorus ever onward,
Crimson and the blue
Hail to thee, our Alma Mater
Hail to old KU.
Evangel does, but I don't know the lyrics off hand. I remember thinking it was kind of lame when I heard it.
To you, our Evangel College
Our voices we will raise,
As mem'ries softly callus
To happy yesterdays.
Where e'er we choose to wander
Our hearts will faithful prove,
To you, our Alma Mater,
Though we're far, far from you!
(okay...so I loved my Evangel days...LOL! I wouldn't met T if it weren't for good ole EC---except now I know they had to change the words to work in "university" =D)
I don't think being cynical is lazy. I find being cynical is just being honest with a little humor.
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