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(Leavenworth, Kan.)—The »¨½·Ö±²¥ celebrates the close of another academic year and the passing of a major milestone in the lives of the class of 2017 at USM's Commencement ceremony at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 13, in McGilley Field House on the university's main Leavenworth campus, 4100 South 4th Street.

The 2017 Commencement event will honor the university's 416 graduates—a group composed of 215 undergraduate degree recipients, 161 master's degree recipients, and 40 doctoral degree recipients. This year's graduates hail from coast to coast and from points overseas. Graduates of USM's online programs are traveling in from across the country to participate as well.



As is tradition at »¨½·Ö±²¥, the 2017 Commencement ceremony will be preceded by a Baccalaureate Mass in Annunciation Chapel—with a brunch following. Graduates will then process to the Commencement ceremony at McGilley Field House.

The ceremony will feature performances by the USM Community Band and the »¨½·Ö±²¥ Concert Chorale. Reflections will be provided by student speakers William Affognon, an Education major from Irving, Texas, as well as Student Government Association President and recipient of the university's Students Appreciating Students award; Heather Bloomcamp, of Olathe, Kan., who is earning her Master's in Counseling Psychology; and Daniel Collins, of Andover, Kan., who is receiving his Doctor of Physical Therapy.

The members of the »¨½·Ö±²¥ graduating class of 2017 arrived at USM from a wide variety of backgrounds and are bound for an equally impressive range of bright futures. In reaching their God-given potential, USM's graduates have overcome obstacles of all kinds. We are proud to name them among the ranks of Saint Marians.
Students who personify this graduating class include:

• Emily Rohan, an accounting major from Lansing, Kan., will begin an internship at Ernst & Young in Kansas City. Emily is USM's first student to work at a Big Four accounting firm. She will also continue her studies in USM's MBA program. 
• Julie Hopkins, a chemistry major from De Soto, Kan., will continue her studies at the University of Kansas—in their chemistry Ph.D. program.
• Morgan Johnson, Lansing, Kan., a psychology and criminology major, will work as an applied behavior analysis specialist at The Homestead in Clive, Iowa—an organization providing innovative services for children and adults with autism. She will also start her master's in rehabilitation counseling this August.
• Tyler Hankins, a nursing major from Bonner Springs, Kan., will work at North Kansas City Hospital in their Neuro Trauma Intensive Care Unit.
• Jacob Sherman, a mathematics major from San Diego, Calif., secured a job with Citizens Bank in their financial services department.
• Nathaniel Petty, a computer information systems major from Smithville, Mo., will start just eight days after graduation as Citizens Savings & Loan Association's IT Manager. 

USM will also honor a member of its faculty with the coveted Sullivan Award for Teaching Excellence at the 2017 Commencement ceremony. The award is presented at Commencement to a full-time faculty member who has made a distinct difference in the teaching climate at USM. The Sullivan Award was created in 1990 and named for the late Sister Mary Louise Sullivan, former academic dean. The winner is nominated by students, faculty, and staff.

Learn more about USM Commencement at stmary.edu/Graduation.

 

The »¨½·Ö±²¥ is a Catholic co-educational applied liberal arts university founded and sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. The University of »¨½·Ö±²¥ main campus is located at 4100 South 4th Street, Leavenworth, Kan. USM's Overland Park Campus at 4500 College Boulevard offers evening accelerated graduate and undergraduate degree-completion programs. The university also offers online programs. Visit stmary.edu for more information.