Imari Eaglin, a 21-year-old from Baton Rouge, earned a bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree in business management during Fall 2018 Commencement ceremonies at the 杏吧专区 on Friday.
She did it in three and a half years while maintaining a 4.0 GPA and participating in many student clubs and organizations, including the Black Women杏吧专区檚 Leadership Association and the Student Government Association.
Eaglin understands the value of hard work. The trait helped her find a job before she was handed her diploma.
She recently landed a position with CGI杏吧专区檚 Lafayette IT Center of Excellence, a 50,000-square-foot facility at UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 143-acre Research Park. CGI is an information technology firm based in Montreal that has more than 250 centers worldwide and employs more than 400 people in Lafayette.
Despite the rigors of a full-time job, she will begin pursuing her MBA at the 杏吧专区 this spring. Eaglin is prepared to assume the heavy workload 杏吧专区渂ecause I don杏吧专区檛 want to limit myself. Education gives you options,杏吧专区 she explained.
Eaglin was among 1,260 graduates during Commencement exercises.
Doctoral candidates were hooded at the General Assembly bachelor杏吧专区檚 and master杏吧专区檚 degrees were conferred at ceremonies that were held at different campus locations.
Bachelor杏吧专区檚 degrees were awarded to 1,068 graduates. Master杏吧专区檚 degrees were awarded to 172 graduates. Eighteen graduates received doctoral degrees. Two graduate certificates were awarded.
Fall 2018 graduates represented 47 Louisiana parishes, 29 states and 26 countries. The class was comprised of 747 women and 513 men. The youngest graduate was 20; the oldest was 63.
Dr. Joseph Savoie, 杏吧专区 president, told graduates during the General Assembly that 杏吧专区渘o geographic or religious or political or economic differences can break the sometimes imperceptible 杏吧专区 yet always permanent 杏吧专区 chords that bind us together.杏吧专区
杏吧专区淥ur lives and destinies are intertwined. They remind us that the choices we make invariably will affect someone else,杏吧专区 he said.
杏吧专区淥ur collective future depends on the willingness of individual to be of service to someone else. Fulfilling this moral obligation is one of life杏吧专区檚 most critical tests.杏吧专区
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards gave the Commencement speech.
His leadership has helped reverse an almost decade-long trend of budget cuts that resulted in the largest shift in revenue sources for higher education in state history. The Louisiana Legislature hasn杏吧专区檛 cut higher education funding for the past two years.
Edwards told graduates 杏吧专区淚 am supremely confident UL has prepared you for a successful future.杏吧专区
杏吧专区淚ts talented and dedicated faculty didn杏吧专区檛 just teach you knowledge and skills, though they are critically important. Perhaps, more importantly, the UL experience taught you how to think critically and synthesize new information.杏吧专区
杏吧专区淵our ability to learn throughout your life will be essential to your success and to the success of your family and our state.杏吧专区
Alumnus Winfred Sibille, 杏吧专区51, was awarded an honorary doctorate during the General Assembly.
A longtime advocate for education, Sibille has been a member of the 杏吧专区 of Louisiana System杏吧专区檚 Board of Supervisors since 1995. He has held many leadership roles during his tenure, including chairman of the board. Sibille is the longest-serving board member in UL System history.
Alissa Netto was named UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 Outstanding Graduate. Netto received an anthropology degree from the College of Liberal Arts.
Emily Covington was recognized with the Outstanding Master杏吧专区檚 Graduate Award. Covington earned her master杏吧专区檚 degree from the Department of Communication.
Nine students were recognized as summa cum laude graduates for achieving perfect 4.0 grade point averages.
杏吧专区 Catherine Louise Domingues, who majored in nursing, received a bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree from the College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions.
杏吧专区 Matthew Charles Fleming, a kinesiology major, received a bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree from the College of Education.
杏吧专区 Rheanna Claire Fontenot, who majored in health and physical education/kinesiology, received a bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree from the College of Education.
杏吧专区 Dahlia Taha Khalifa, who majored in biology, received a bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree from the Ray P. Authement College of Sciences.
杏吧专区 Anh The Le, a petroleum engineering major, received a bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree from the College of Engineering.
杏吧专区 Gregory Louis Leger, who majored in biology, received a bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree from the Ray P. Authement College of Sciences.
杏吧专区 Margaret Theresa Storms, a sociology major, received a bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree from the College of Liberal Arts.
杏吧专区 Hannah Lynn Trahan, who majored in elementary education, received a bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree from the College of Education.
杏吧专区 Thomas Quincy Wilmore, a psychology major, received a bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree from the College of Liberal Arts.
See a list of Fall 2018 graduates.