Northwest Notes: Focusing on student success
EDITORIAL MUG: John Jasinski
Spring weather has arrived on the Northwest Missouri State University campus and the season brings with it so many wonderful times of celebration – from year-end concerts and presentations to the farewells for faculty members who have served our University for multiple decades.
Celebrations such as our four commencement ceremonies May 6-7 at Northwest represent what we are all about. It is why we do what we do, each and every day, no matter our roles as faculty, staff, partners and other stakeholders. It is about focusing on student success – every student, every day.
We recognized spring and summer graduates who completed a total of 1,473 degrees – 755 undergraduate degrees and 718 graduate degrees, consisting of 567 master’s degrees and 151 education specialist degrees. It’s also worth noting that we had 1,162 students graduate this spring, which sets a new Northwest record to go with our record fall and spring enrollments.
Our most common undergraduate degree was the Bachelor of Science in elementary education, and the most common graduate degree was the Master of Science in educational leadership with a K-12 emphasis. Our degree candidates ranged in age from 19 through 70, and they represented 38 states.
Our 70-year-old graduate is a retired faculty member and a Northwest alumnus before that, Dr. Mike Wilson. After teaching accounting, economics and finance at Northwest for 25-plus years and retiring in 2011, Mike returned to the University as a student and completed a bachelor’s degree in theatre performance.
We also are so proud of our international graduates, and our spring class comprised 162 international students who represented 21 countries – one of the largest international graduation classes in our University’s history.
Additionally, during the afternoon ceremony on May 6, we welcomed Gov. Mike Parson, first lady Teresa Parson and their family as they celebrated the graduation of their daughter, Stephanie House, who completed her master’s degree in educational leadership with a K-12 emphasis at Northwest.
Further, I need to provide a shout-out to our Northwest Online graduates who – although they may not be on our campus grounds every day – are just as engaged and eager to spread Bearcat pride. As just one example, one of our Northwest Online students stopped me in March at the men’s basketball national championship game in Evansville, Indiana. He lives in that region, showed up in Bearcat gear and was so fired up to be attending a Northwest event. Additionally, at our December commencement, I had the pleasure of visiting with two online graduates from Los Angeles, one of whom is a principal. We’ve stayed connected, and he wants to bring a group of students to visit Northwest.
Those kinds of interactions are a tribute to our enrollment team, faculty and staff, Northwest Alumni Association, the people residing in our communities and all involved in recruiting, retaining, graduating and keeping Bearcats engaged long after they complete their degrees.
Speaking of our terrific faculty, we recently celebrated the retirements of seven individuals – Tom Hardee, a senior instructor of English with 21 years; Fred Lamer, an assistant professor of mass media with 40 years; Jacquie Lamer, a senior instructor of mass media with 21 years; Dr. Theo Ross, a professor of theatre with 44 years; Dr. Vicki Seeger, an associate professor of professional education with eight years; Dr. Pamela Shannon, an associate professor of professional education with 20 years; and Dr. Stephen Town, a professor of music with 36 years – who have dedicated a combined 190 years of service to the University.
Bearcats learn, connect, care, practice civility and show pride. Northwest yields so many amazing stories – and they are easy stories to tell because of the work our faculty and staff do and the ways our people exemplify what we call “being a Bearcat.”
“Commencement.” As I wrote to start, spring is unfolding, and new life and new beginnings are ahead. The culmination of our spring semester and commencement exercises yield the end of a journey for all of us. Here’s to our graduates, our faculty and staff, and our communities and to commencing to new episodes of work, play and uplifting others.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Bearcats, for focusing on student success and making this place we call home better each day.
Dr. John Jasinski is the 10th president of Northwest Missouri State University. For news and events at Northwest, visit www.nwmissouri.edu.
