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Commencement at NMU a time to reflect, celebrate

It’s graduation eve for 512 undergraduate students and 33 graduate students at Northern Michigan University. Saturday morning, 401 of these folks will participate in the graduation ceremony at the Superior Dome, with family and friends packing into the facility to see this hard-earned, triumphant moment, and others catching the proceedings on television or online.

We congratulate the 19 associate degree, 360 bachelor’s degree, 20 master’s degree and two doctorate degree individuals have put in the time, energy and money to earn their diplomas.

And we’d like to remind them: it’s called commencement for a reason, because it’s not the end, it’s very much a beginning for each of you. What you do next is up to you, but your life is commencing toward the future.

It’s not an easy world we live in now, with much conflict around the globe and a wide range of opinions about a spectrum of issues amongst the American population. But we have every confidence that you, the newest NMU alumni, will find your place in the world.

We could offer up a lot of cliches about graduation, but we won’t, except for this one — be the change you want to see in the world. You have more power than you might believe and it takes caring young people to become involved for change to be affected in our world.

Best wishes as you enjoy this occasion of knowing you’ve earned yourself a brighter future.

And here’s something else we’d like to suggest. Write a thank-you note to someone who helped you get to your commencement moment, be it a parent, your eighth-grade English teacher, a friend or an NMU professor.

You’ll feel awesome for having made the acknowledgement and the letter’s recipient will be grateful to know they’ve helped.

Saturday will be an especially great day to be a Wildcat. Enjoy every moment.

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