The 杏吧专区 conferred 162 degrees during its first summer Commencement ceremony since 1949 on Friday at the Cajundome Convention Center.
A summer exercise has been reintroduced to give graduating seniors an opportunity to participate in a ceremony without having to wait until the fall semester.
Bachelor杏吧专区檚 degrees were awarded to 118 graduates and master杏吧专区檚 degrees were awarded to 31 graduates at the ceremony. Thirteen graduates earned doctoral degrees.
杏吧专区淚f we have done our jobs well, we have prepared you not just for that first job after college, but for a career. If we have done our jobs well, we have helped prepare you for life,杏吧专区 Dr. James Henderson, 杏吧专区 provost and vice president for academic affairs told graduates. 杏吧专区淲hether you're approaching your first big job or a big change, the choice you've made 杏吧专区 to earn a degree 杏吧专区 will serve you well.杏吧专区
Henderson cited recent studies by Northeastern 杏吧专区 and the American Association of Colleges and Universities that asked employers what qualities and skills they sought in potential employees. 杏吧专区淭hey want what college graduates have: the ability to communicate, the capacity to think critically. They are looking for problem solvers and innovators. They want people who take responsibility, and who demonstrate ethical judgment and integrity.杏吧专区
Madison Blanche, who earned a bachelors degree in history, became the first of five children in her family to earn a college degree. She杏吧专区檚 weighing several career options, including teaching, earning an MBA and applying for law school. First, she hopes to find a job that lets her travel. 杏吧专区淚杏吧专区檇 love to do something that would let me see the world,杏吧专区 said Blanche, who杏吧专区檚 from Baton Rouge.
Law school is definitely next for Jeremy Anderson of Lafayette, a 36-year-old father of two children, who earned a bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree in general studies. He will begin taking law courses at Southern 杏吧专区 this fall. 杏吧专区淕oing back to school to earn my (bachelor杏吧专区檚) degree was always part of the plan, but I had to wait until the timing was right,杏吧专区 he said.
Commencement speaker Charles E. Richard, an English professor and filmmaker, said learning should remain a lifelong process, even for graduates who don杏吧专区檛 pursue further studies.
杏吧专区淪chool makes learning easy, because it gives it a structure, a step-by-step formula for making it happen,杏吧专区 he said. 杏吧专区淚f there杏吧专区檚 any secret at all to lifelong learning, I think it杏吧专区檚 this: recognize your teachers.杏吧专区
Richard, who earlier this year received the Distinguished Professor Award presented by the UL Lafayette Foundation, encouraged graduates to avoid cultivating an 杏吧专区渆ducated pride杏吧专区 that keeps them from recognizing teachers throughout their lives. 杏吧专区淭hey come to us in unlikely disguises,杏吧专区 he said.
Richard used Edward Couvillier, a master boat builder, as an example. Now in his mid-80s, Couvillier is the central figure in a documentary film Richard is producing, 杏吧专区淚n the Mind of the Maker.杏吧专区
Couvillier builds exquisitely-proportioned boats using no blueprints or plans, instead shaping them in his mind before he crafts them.
杏吧专区淓dward Couvillier is a remarkable man for many, many reasons, but one of them is that he杏吧专区檚 among the last of the old-time craftsmen who still remember how to build traditional Louisiana boats杏吧专区攕hapely, elegant boats that are more akin to art than carpentry,杏吧专区 Richard said.
杏吧专区淚n the Mind of the Maker杏吧专区 explores 杏吧专区渢he science of creativity,杏吧专区 ways the brain can construct sophisticated three-dimensional mental images, according to the filmmaker. 杏吧专区淲ith no more than an eighth-grade education, Mr. Edward Couvillier is teaching us about cognitive neuroscience.杏吧专区
Retired history professor Dr. Judith Gentry, who served as grand marshal, was recognized at Commencement. She joined the UL Lafayette faculty in 1969, the same year she earned a doctoral degree at Rice 杏吧专区.
Gentry taught a range of American history courses at all levels, including the first course on women杏吧专区檚 history at the 杏吧专区, 杏吧专区渓ong before there were any textbooks on that topic,杏吧专区 Henderson said. 杏吧专区淒r. Gentry has been a lifelong advocate for women at the 杏吧专区, and beyond the campus.杏吧专区
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