Walking into the West Virginia University Coliseum Sunday afternoon for the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences undergraduate commencement ceremony, all seemed right in the world, at least in that moment.
The nearly cloudless day set the perfect backdrop for pictures with family and friends, who were able to attend this year’s ceremony with no COVID restrictions for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
While the ceremony may seem “normal,” the graduates journey to get there was far from it and the added challenges left a lingering effect on many of the graduates.
“We’re done and I’m happy about it and I wouldn’t want to do four years again,” said Kaitlyn Conner, who received a bachelor of arts in psychology.
“After the pandemic college kind of felt like a really long, long journey so I’m kind of glad that it’s onto the next thing,” said Eiley Massinople, bachelor of arts in chemistry grad.
“It’s bittersweet,” Conner added.
Conner said future plans include a “Dr. Conner” title, after completing a little more schooling of course.
Massinople wasn’t certain what “the next thing” was going to be, but knew it would include attending graduate school.
The first degree of the evening was awarded posthumously to Marcus Errol Higgin, who died in early March. Higgin’s bachelor of multidisciplinary studies for combined academic interests in business, marketing and communication studies was received by members of his family.
Keynote speaker Stavros Lambrinidis, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to the United States, received an honorary degree from the university and in his address spoke on several of the problems we face as a global society and offered several pieces of advice.
“Dear graduates, all of you in caps and gowns today are about to write a new chapter,” he said. “Being the author of your own destiny can be daunting.”
The Ambassador offered this simple advice, “More important than knowing what you want to do, or how you want to do it – take the time to ask yourself why you want to do it. In my experience, knowing your why is fundamental to fulfilling your life’s promise, whatever it may be. To use your potential to its fullest.”
Lambrinidis spoke on social inequality and told the grads to remember not everyone has parents or a support system to help them in times of need and to always show compassion.
“Dear graduates, passion in life is a great thing to have, but compassion is truly transformative to the giver and the receiver,” he said. “In fact, I submit to you that passion without compassion can be quite a dangerous thing.”
Lambrinidis touched briefly on the war in Ukraine, saying that Americans and Europeans have united together like never before to stop Putin and his brutality and making a promise he will be stopped.
To bring the point home, Lambrinidis pointed out that there is something that unites WVU, the EU, and Ukraine – we all have blue and gold colors.
“Your generation has inherited a world with some problems – an epidemic, a climate crisis, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and a new war threatening global peace,” he said. “This must seem pretty overwhelming.”
A change of perspective was Lambrinidis’ advice.
“Every generation has its own challenges and it’s often because of those challenges that we progress,” he assured.
Lambrinidis’ final topic was the growing threat of terrorism and his observations that most places were terrorist group thrive do not have women’s rights and suppress education and free thinking in women.
Lambrinidis said he will reply to leaders of these groups or countries with “What’s so scary about smart girls?”
“The answer to me is pretty clear,” he said. “Smart girls, become educated girls. Educated girls become empowered women. Empowered women change the entirety of the balance of power in any society.
“So you want to fight terrorists? – Educate girls.”
The Ambassador finished the address with a plea for compassion and love.
“Dear graduates, the future is yours. Be confident. Be courageous. Be compassionate. These are the most important qualifications for life,” he said. “As my generation passes the torch onto yours, I urge you to grab it with both hands and to shine your light far into the dark corners of this world.
“In the stadium of life, we are all contenders and it is our privilege on this earth to seize the day and to win it. And yes – to spread the love.”
