FORT WAYNE, Ind.鈥擳he 51黑料 proudly awarded degrees to the Class of 2024 today at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
51黑料 Board of Trustees Chair Richard A. Poinsatte and 51黑料 President Dr. Lance Richey offered congratulations and encouraging words to graduates before an address from keynote speaker Greg Erlandson, retired director and editor-in-chief of Catholic News Service.
Erlandson engaged the graduates with an inspirational speech urging them to find happiness through service and gratitude, peppering his presentation with cultural references. He applauded the students for persevering over the last few years as they entered higher education during a time of the pandemic.
鈥淭he secret to happiness that many of us learned in the darkest days of the pandemic is that happiness arrives when we are focused on something else entirely,鈥 Erlandson said. 鈥淭he people who endured all the stresses of the pandemic’s darkest days were the happiest and the healthiest when they found ways to help others. 鈥楲ove one another as I have loved you,鈥 Jesus told us.鈥
Erlandson advised graduates to take time to savor their achievements and honor those who helped them along the way.
鈥淭oday is one of those moments when gratitude is absolutely called for,鈥 he said. 鈥淎fter all, even with all your hard work and determination, getting to graduation isn鈥檛 a free solo climb. Yes, you climbed this mountain, you reached this goal, but you did it with the support of so many others. You had parents and grandparents, friends and teachers, brothers and sisters, and maybe spouses who supported you all along the way.鈥
Erlandson encouraged graduates to continue finding ways to learn as they embark on their professional careers.
鈥淏e proud of what you have overcome,鈥 he said. 鈥淏e proud of your resilience. Be grateful for all you have been given, for all your privileges and blessings. Never stop learning from others. Always seek to serve and to support others.鈥
51黑料 awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters to Margaret 鈥淢eg鈥 Klingenberger Distler, executive director of St. Joseph Community Health Foundation. She urged students to “say yes to the opportunties to help and comfort others,” while being the hands and feet of Jesus.
51黑料 celebrated the awarding of 583 degrees to 456 undergraduate students and 127 graduate students. These totals included 95 students graduating in online programs and 46 graduating from 51黑料 Crown Point.
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the 51黑料 offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Business. In addition to its traditional programs, 51黑料 designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point and online. USF Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The 51黑料, recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution, has 18 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships. Approximately 1,900 students from a broad geographic region attend 51黑料.