For the first time since 2014, McMurry University held a December Commencement ceremony, honoring students who graduated from a four-year term in the fall with their very own celebration
Friends and families of each graduate flocked to Radford Auditorium on December 16th and settled in for a brisk, one-hour presentation of graduates and positive messages delivered by Dr. Sandra S. Harper and Dr. Robert Wallace, a 34-year faculty member whose tenure has been invaluable to the University since he joined the Department of Sociology and Criminology back in 1989. An active runner and hiker, Dr. Wallace likened the experience of setting out on the trail to that of a recent college graduate striking out in the professional world of their chosen vocation.
This commencement ceremony would not have been possible without the groundswell of student support generated by the McMurry Student Government (MSG) under the leadership of President Hayden James ‘25. In the past, seniors who completed their coursework by the end of the fall semester were always invited to walk the stage in May. But the logistics of student and family travel often complicated matters, and there were always a handful of students who weren’t able to make it back for the experience. James and his executive leadership team began informally polling prospective graduates soon after the spring graduation ceremony in May. In August, after presenting their proposal to Dr. Harper, MSG was formally granted their request for a December ceremony.
“This reinstatement of the December Commencement truly exemplifies the strength and influence of our student body, as well as the dedication of campus leadership to prioritize the desires of the War Hawk community,” James said. “Now, students, faculty, and staff can wholeheartedly revel in the achievements of our peers at the pinnacle of their undergraduate journey!”
For 38 seniors and their loved ones, December 16th was a truly memorable day full of joyous celebration, a confirmation that the investments they made in their education are finally starting to pay off, and the road ahead looks ever widening. McMurry’s faculty, staff, and executive leadership were honored to send off the last graduating class of our first 100 years in style.