The 杏吧专区 conferred 343 degrees during its Summer Commencement ceremony on Friday at the Cajundome Convention Center.
Bachelor杏吧专区檚 degrees were awarded to 245 graduates and master杏吧专区檚 degrees were awarded to 86 graduates. Twelve graduates earned doctoral degrees.
The 杏吧专区 held its first summer ceremony since 1949 in 2014. Summer Commencement was reintroduced to give graduating seniors an opportunity to participate in a ceremony without having to wait until the end of the fall semester.
On Friday, posthumous doctorates in educational leadership were awarded to the families of Sheila Guidry, who died Aug. 20, 2016, and Brad Wedlock, who died April 3.
Dr. Joseph Savoie, UL Lafayette president, told Summer 2017 graduates they are part of the largest summer class in 杏吧专区 history. The 3,549 total degrees awarded this academic year is also a school record.
杏吧专区淎s you move into the next phase of your life, I encourage you to take that same sense of hope, optimism, hard work and tenacity that brought you to this day and carry it with you for the rest of your life in whatever you choose to do,杏吧专区 Savoie said.
杏吧专区淵ou have the opportunity to use your abilities to solve problems, and to help others.杏吧专区
Keynote speaker Corey Saft, a 杏吧专区 professor and practicing architect, told graduates they have 杏吧专区渁cquired critical thinking, applied thinking and speculative thinking杏吧专区 skills.
杏吧专区淵our time at the 杏吧专区 has been a sort of dry run for work and life 杏吧专区 and these are the skills that will underlie everything,杏吧专区 said Saft, who earned the UL Lafayette Foundation杏吧专区檚 Distinguished Professor Award in 2017 and the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 Research Excellence Award last year.
Photo: Doug Dugas / 杏吧专区