WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — In August, Aron Lee took half in Purdue University Global graduation ceremonies, having earned his Bachelor of Science diploma in well being and wellness.
On Saturday (Dec. 4), Lee was again on the commencement stage, this time addressing greater than 1,700 Purdue International graduates who took half in in-person and digital ceremonies in Elliott Corridor of Music on the Purdue West Lafayette campus. It marked Purdue International’s twelfth graduation since its formation in 2018 and the primary in West Lafayette.
Aron Lee, a grasp sergeant within the U.S. Air Drive who graduated summa cum laude from Purdue International earlier this yr, offered the keynote tackle for Purdue International graduation ceremonies Saturday (Dec. 4) in West Lafayette.
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“Now we have solely simply begun,” mentioned Lee, a grasp sergeant within the U.S. Air Drive who has served for 22 years and graduated summa cum laude from Purdue International. “All of these late-night dialogue questions, homework assignments, quizzes, group tasks and end-of-term surveys received you proper right here: to the beginning line. That is the place your race begins. That is the place the grind begins.
“You all will stroll out of right here with an superior certificates by the decree of the chancellor that states you’ve gotten the information to do a factor. The grind goes out into the world and doing that factor with success within the face of adversity. Remembering why you’re on this journey goes that can assist you. You at the moment are a benchmark of success. You might be at a degree to which individuals wish to obtain. Be that instance of success. Go away a legacy. Encourage individuals.”
Two in-person ceremonies and a digital one came about over the course of the day. Degrees have been awarded from the faculties of enterprise and data expertise, training, common training, well being sciences, nursing, social and behavioral sciences, and Concord Law School. There have been 769 bachelor’s levels, 601 graduate levels, 200 affiliate levels, 122 certificates and 23 doctoral levels (16 Physician of Nursing Follow, 4 Juris Physician and three Govt Juris Physician).
The graduates reside in 49 states – together with 305 Indiana residents – plus Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands, whereas 9 extra international locations have been represented: Canada, China, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Japan, Kuwait, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, and Turks and Caicos Islands. Thirty-eight workers of Purdue West Lafayette, Purdue Fort Wayne, Purdue Northwest and Purdue International are amongst those that earned a Purdue International diploma or certificates through the Purdue Global education benefit.
The breadth of graduates contains a number of household connections:
- A husband and spouse from Williamsport, Indiana – Jerry Culvahouse, a steam utilities mechanic on the Bindley Bioscience Middle in Discovery Park District at Purdue, and Kim Culvahouse, who has labored as a clerk and trainer aide at Purdue. Each earned their Bachelor of Enterprise Administration by means of the training profit program.
- A husband and spouse from Noblesville, Indiana – Matthew Gualdoni, who earned a Grasp of Enterprise Administration, and Jennifer Gualdoni, who earned a Grasp of Science diploma in educational design and expertise.
- Siblings Joshua Singer (Bachelor of Science in authorized help and companies) of Indianapolis and Megan Singer (Bachelor of Science in psychology in utilized habits evaluation) of Riverside, California.
Chancellor Frank Dooley congratulated Purdue International graduates from 49 states, plus Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands, in addition to 9 extra international locations Saturday (Dec. 4) in West Lafayette.
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Chancellor Frank Dooley addressed the graduates – 814 of them in-person and 901 just about.
“I am thrilled that we have been capable of rejoice right here on campus, the place the historical past of Purdue started over 150 years in the past,” Dooley mentioned. “Are you able to consider that courses started with solely six instructors and 39 college students? Take a look at how far now we have come. West Lafayette is a campus with 50,000 college students and Purdue International has one other 35,000 college students.
“We’re grateful to offer a ceremony that brings us all collectively, regardless of the place we’re across the globe, both just about or right here in Elliott Corridor. … I really like that we will stay shut by means of this establishment as we commemorate your accomplishments immediately.”
Dooley famous that over 9,000 Purdue International college students are affiliated with the army, together with almost 5,000 energetic obligation, Nationwide Guard and reserve members serving worldwide. Virtually 50% are the primary of their household to attend faculty, and about 60% care for a kid or different dependent.
“What you’ve gotten finished is so outstanding,” Dooley mentioned. “Along with finishing your training, you handled the whole lot else that life throws your manner. And within the final yr that added COVID to the combination.”
Two Purdue International graduates carried out the nationwide anthem earlier than their respective in-person ceremonies: Lisa Calderon, from San Antonio, Texas, who graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science diploma in communication, and Ellen McCullough, from Highland, Indiana, who graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science diploma in cybersecurity.
Within the days earlier than graduation, Purdue International hosted varied digital celebratory occasions, together with a photograph sales space, toast, commencement “shout out” board and social media actions.
A complete of 10,924 Purdue International college students have graduated within the final yr.
The following Purdue International graduation is scheduled for Could 21 and can happen on the Murat Theatre at Previous Nationwide Centre in Indianapolis.
About Purdue College International
Purdue College International delivers personalised on-line training tailor-made to the distinctive wants of adults who’ve work or life expertise past the classroom, enabling them to develop important educational {and professional} abilities with the help and suppleness they should obtain their profession targets. It affords personalised paths for college kids to earn an affiliate, bachelor’s, grasp’s or doctoral diploma, primarily based on their work expertise, desired tempo, army service, earlier faculty credit and different issues – regardless of the place they’re of their life journey. Purdue International is a nonprofit, public college accredited by the Larger Studying Fee. It’s affiliated with Purdue College’s flagship establishment, a extremely ranked public analysis college situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. Purdue College additionally operates regional campuses in Fort Wayne and Northwest Indiana, in addition to serving science, engineering and expertise college students on the Indiana College-Purdue College Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus. For extra info, go to purdueglobal.edu.
Author/Media Contact: Tom Schott, 765-427-1721, tschott@purdue.edu
Sources: Frank Dooley
Beth Smith
Aron Lee
