Grads-to-be share memories and advice

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own, and you know what you know. You are the one who’ll decide where to go,” wrote the whimsically wise Theodore Geisel.

This spring, approximately 1,600 University of West Florida students can confidently add “first-rate education” to the list as they prepare to receive their diplomas May 3.

Elementary Education major Ryan Graber counts himself amongst one of the lucky prospective graduates. Graber hopes to remain in Northwest Florida as a teacher in Escambia County, but before saying farewell to his soon-to-be alma mater, he had a bit of advice for incoming and current UWF students.

“Get involved, whether with a Greek organization, a sport or any other club… get involved,” said Graber. “It makes your experience at UWF that much more rewarding.”

Graduating student Aspen Cosson shares Graber’s belief that getting involved with campus organizations and activities greatly enhanced her experience at UWF.

“I never had the problem of being bored at UWF as I was always out and about,” she said. “I learned time management and how to work with others.”

An art history major, Cosson will be starting University of South Florida’s masters program for Early Modern European History in the fall and will begin a graduate assistantship as well. As for her most rewarding moment, Cosson said that although it has yet to occur, she believes it will be her graduation.

“I will get to celebrate my three years of hard work with the people who have meant the most to me and have made my college experience so much fun and so fulfilling,” said Cosson.

Psychology major Bryant Chase counts the day he became initiated as a Sigma Chi as not only the most memorable moment he’s experienced as a UWF student, but as the most memorable moment of his life. As testament to that loyalty, Chase will be relocating to Chicago to work for Sigma Chi headquarters as their associate director of expansion. He also has some sound advice to impart before he embarks on his new career.

“You go to college because you need to learn your academics – it’s hard, it’s not supposed to be easy, but it’s about way more than that,” said Chase. “Just make sure that when you leave, you don’t just leave with a great group of friends, you leave with the education you came here for too.”

Spring 2008 Commencement Ceremonies will be held May 3 at the Pensacola Civic Center located at 201 E. Gregory St. in downtown Pensacola. The Undergraduate Program will start at 9 a.m. and the Graduate Program will start 2:30 p.m. The guest speaker will be Terry Jones, British comedian, screenwriter, actor and film director. The alumni speaker will be James Hosman, vice president of Florida First Capital Financial Corporation.

For more information, visit uwf.edu/commencement.

By Stacey Lewis, University Marketing Communications