Finished

Hello all -

Done!

God-mom and aunt, Jean!

I'm officially a college graduate! Lots has happened since the commencement ceremonies on Saturday, the 28th, and it's only nine days until I leave for Washington and Holden Village. Anyway: a recap of finals week and commencement day.

Finals week...

Finals week was, as any college student will tell you, stressful. That goes without saying. I had a bass clarinet jury on Tuesday. My final art portfolio ended up being 36 pages, my creative writing senior thesis, 34 (a collection of poems). Four final capstones were due for my American Environmental Studies class, as well as teaching lesson plans for my independent-study Shakespeare seminar. I mostly took it day-by-day, and didn't look towards commencement until Friday night, after the inauguration of Waldorf's 16th President, Dr. Robert Alsop. The inauguration was a fun ceremony, attended by robed Waldorf College faculty, distinguished guests, and the general public.

Commencement...

It began bright and early at 9:00 on Saturday, when a friend and I walked over to Salveson Hall to pick up our cap and gowns. The fact that I was really graduating didn't hit me until I put on the gown. I kept on thinking, "It's really over", and part of me was relieved (done with final projects - thesis, portfolio, capstones), but I was also terrified (moving out to Washington, not going back to school for a year, etc).

Baccalaureate was a really great service, led by our campus pastor, Professor of Religion Steve Smith. The biblical text of the day was Revelation 21:5 (look it up!) :), used to make the point that as college graduates we are leaving behind the old and embarking on something new - the rest of our lives. In the words of Professor Smith - "if you don't change, you are dead." I thought quite often throughout the message of the big changes coming ahead in my life; how Holden Village and Luther Seminary will both transform, inspire, and challenge me all in the same way beyond my time at Waldorf College. 

Cap and gown!

Commencement held mixed emotions. 95 graduates in the class of 2012, most were elated to be finished. Some cried, and hugs were given all around. Congratulations by family and friends filled the air. As I went through the faculty recieving line, I said goodbye to the professors who nurtured and shaped my learning and thoughts these past four years - Professors Kristi Carlson, Sheila Willms, Joe Wilkins, Suzanne Falck-Yi, Larry Hill, Joy Heebink, Brent Dodson, President Robert Alsop, librarians Cindy Fitzgerald and Amy Hill, along with a host of others. I returned my cap and gown, checked out of my room, and we were soon on the road. As I drove past Salveson Hall for the last time, the past four years felt like all of fifteen minutes.

Being home has been great. I've gotten ahead on my packing list for Holden - today I picked up a MacBook Pro (I'm extraordinarily excited!), hiking boots, more art supplies, a water bottle, flashlight, and a bunch of other stuff. I feel like I'm keeping ahead of things - I will soon start the packing process within a day or two.

Anyway, enough for now. I'm going to go tinker with my MacBook for awhile. I have some updates, installations, and customization to do. :)

Dean