KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- It was a joyous sunny Saturday in Kirksville as several hundred Truman State University students walked across the graduation stage in the Pershing Arena. There were 10 undergraduate students who graduated with 4.0 G.PA's. Outgoing Rotary International President Ray Klinginsmith gave the Commencement address.
The gymnasium was packed to the limit as parents, friends, and family members gathered and congratulated loved ones on their huge accomplishment: graduating from college. Amongst students, the emotions were running wild.
"I feel great! It's been a long four and a half years so it's great to be done," said Abigayle Richardson, of Savannah, Mo. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication.
"It might be a little less excitement and more relief," said Xander Winkel, of Kansas City, Mo. Winkel earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. "The excitement was definitely building up to the moment, getting everything together. Finishing up the last of my finals and papers and now it's kind of like breathe."
After the ceremony, one grandmother broke into tears.
"Eric lost his father at a very early age and I think that was a challenge for our family and it just really makes me feel like this is a stepping stone to something I can really appreciate with longevity," said Shirley Sanders, grandmother of Truman State graduate Eric Hughes.
"I'm just really...you see I'm getting teary eyed. It was just a struggle because you don't know what the end is going to be and just to see him like this, I can't even put it into words."
With the bad economy and high unemployment, we asked the students what's next?
"I would like to eventually be rich and famous author like J. K. Rowling or something but it's probably going to be a while before that happens so I've got a couple of different novels I'm working on. In the mean time, I'll just try and find a job doing something that pays," said Noelle Chandler, of Eureka, Mo. Chandler became the first person to graduate from Truman State with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing.
"Actually I'd like to continue my education and I want to get my teaching certificate and teach high school students speech and debate," said Richardson.
Students had varying answers when we asked them about the biggest obstacle they incurred while studying at Truman.
"It was a big adjustment getting used to Kirksville. But after that, it was cake, I guess," said Hughes.
"This semester especially has been real difficult for me, having a baby. A couple of weeks ago, I had to take her to the hospital and...just to be able to actually finish," said Chandler. Chandler's baby is two and a half months old. She said she had to rush to finish in three and a half years because her husband was scheduled at first to go overseas in January.
During the ceremony, Commencement Speaker Ray Klinginsmith encouraged the graduates to remember the virtue of gratitude and also the fact that everyone can be great because anyone can serve. One of the graduates told us he has already signed up.
"I applied for the AmeriCorps for the fall so I'm going to do that for a year and then go out into the job market," said Hughes.
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