Purdue Calumet Recognizes Spring Graduating Class of 1,014

2015-purdue-cal-graduationPurdue University Calumet recognized a spring graduating class of 1,014 individuals during three Commencement ceremonies held on campus Friday (5/8—6 p.m.) and Saturday (5/9—11 a.m. and 3 p.m.).

We have hundreds of photos from the event here!

Friday & Saturday keynote speakers
During Friday evening’s (5/8) ceremony, keynote speaker and Northwest Indiana State Representative Hal Slager encouraged the graduates “to accept personal responsibility, live for others and be involved with your community. . . The more you give, the more you receive. Whether it is your time, talent or treasure, I encourage you to give generously and live for others. The payback is huge.”

Saturday (5/9) speaker Jeff Strack, vice president of Strack and Van Til’s supermarket chain and a Purdue Calumet MBA alumnus, addressed the importance of responding to opportunities, learning from failure and taking advantage of potential to achieve unlimited greatness.

“Look within your heart, be mindful of your evolving soul and consciously work towards identifying the unmistakable brand that is you,” he said to the graduates. “Once you’ve defined it, dare to spend your life exploring beneficial and rewarding ways to share it with the world.”

662 participants
Some 662 graduation candidates participated in the three ceremonies. Friday (5/8) exercises featured 209 from the university’s Colleges of Education and Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. The Saturday morning (5/9) program honored 250 graduates of the Colleges of Business and Technology. Saturday afternoon’s (5/9) event saw 203 graduates recognized from the Colleges of Nursing and Engineering, Mathematics and Science.

Overall, spring class members have persisted in quest of 790 baccalaureate degrees, 223 master’s degrees and one associate degree.

Top students
Additionally, Purdue Calumet Chancellor Thomas L. Keon presented Chancellor Medallions to the following baccalaureate graduates who achieved the highest grade point average in each of the university’s six academic colleges: Lauren Innes of Hammond (Education), Jason Pyzel of Lansing, Ill. (Liberal Arts and Social Sciences), Madisen Redar of Schererville and Ryan Anderson of Catlin, Ill. (Business), Jonathan Kamphuis of Dyer (Technology), Rebecca Tiemens of Lowell and Nathan Fathauer of Catlin, Ill. (Engineering, Mathematics and Science) and Erin Manley (Nursing) of Lowell.

The class increases to more than 52,000 the total number of degrees awarded at Purdue Calumet.