Ohio University’s doctoral and masters students received their degrees during the 2024 spring graduate commencement Friday.
After the arrival of the mace, which marks the opening of the ceremony, Board of Trustees Chairman-Elect Steve Casciani welcomed guests to the university’s graduate ceremony with the national anthem and a score by the ROTC presentation of the colors.
University President Lori Stewart Gonzalez started the ceremony with acknowledging the graduates, guests, veterans, members of the Board of Trustees and other university officials.
“Your commitment to your field of study and your outstanding work have brought you to a point that fewer than 15% of adults in our country have achieved,” Gonzalez said. “You've gone above and beyond to achieve a high level of expertise and experience, and I know it hasn't been easy.”
Gonzalez said she has seen the students’ spark and passion to move people and places forward during her first year as president. She thanked the graduates for the inspiration they have given her.
For the commencement address, Gonzalez welcomed the guest speaker, Erin Morgenstern, the assistant to the vice president for priority projects. Graduate students chose her as the 2023 outstanding graduate faculty award recipient.
“Everyone here is experiencing joy together,” Morgenstern said. “Being my first time delivering a commencement keynote, and you being the stars of one, we are all in this together.”
Executive Vice President and Provost Elizabeth Sayrs approached the podium to honor members of OU’s faculty.
“Thank you for caring so deeply about our students, and especially for your work with today's graduates,” Sayrs said. “You've had coffee with students, you've welcomed them into your labs, your fieldwork and your studios. You've provided comments on so many drafts of theses and dissertations and written many, many letters of recommendation.”
Sayrs announced OU’s 2024 outstanding graduate faculty award to the Russ College of Engineering and Technology Assistant Professor Brian Wisner.
“He's distinguished himself as a highly regarded professor with undergraduate and graduate students alike,” Sayrs said. “His nominators talked about how he actively engages with students in deep, meaningful and productive ways.”
Gonzalez then awarded degrees to the newest doctoral students. Following doctoral students, master’s degrees were then handed out by their respective deans, concluding the graduate ceremony of spring 2024.
