UNOH Celebrates Class of 2023
Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2023
UNOH Graduates pose for a selfie with Torque
The University of Northwestern Ohio celebrated its 103rd commencement and graduation ceremony with the Class of 2023 at the Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center on Sunday, June 11, 2023.
The threat of rain didn’t keep families and friends of the graduates away as the auditorium was packed with proud family, friends, community members and university faculty to send off the graduating students.
“2023 is one of our largest graduating classes in our history, with 762 graduates totaling 1,108 degrees and diplomas,” UNOH President Jeffrey A. Jarvis said in his opening.
UNOH has five colleges and approximately 4,000 students from all over the country and the world. Sunday’s graduates represented 36 states, Puerto Rico and 13 countries. To accommodate the number of graduates, the class was divided into two graduation ceremonies, with one at 10 a.m. and the second at 1 p.m.
The morning ceremony included a guest speaker from the UNOH Class of 2022, Elysha Stapleton. Stapleton was slated to walk in the 2022 ceremonies, but was diagnosed with POLG Related Disorder after experiencing a seizure in the winter of 2022. Stapleton told the day’s graduates that she was in the hospital undergoing care during last year’s graduation. A student-athlete on UNOH’s softball team, Stapleton considered dropping out, but after working with her coaches, professors, and classmates at UNOH, she found the strength in herself to complete her degree requirements. “Racers, I don’t know if you have a job waiting for you after this, or if you still don’t know what you’re going to do with your life, but that’s okay. The most important thing is for you to get up, go out there, and go after your dreams,” she said.
The afternoon ceremony included a special presentation of an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree to Daniel Briggs. As Founder and Chief Executive of numerous successful companies, Daniel Briggs brings a wealth of experience from both the public and private sectors to drive innovation and growth. He is the founder and Director of EOS Linx, the fastest growing Electric Vehicle Charging company in the U.S. with stations deployed in five states, and over 15,000 locations under contract for future deployment. His dedication, commitment, perseverance, and drive to excellence serve as an outstanding role model for UNOH students.
After President Jarvis presented a stole signifying his honorary doctorate of laws degree from the university, Briggs gave an address highlighting the importance of higher education, congratulating the graduates for overcoming struggles to achieve their goals and recognizing their supporters who helped them along the way.
“Worldwide about 20% of people have the opportunity to attend college, and worldwide 7% graduate,” Briggs shared. “So, every person here today who’s joining that fraternity of college graduates, this is a very important day.”
Briggs encouraged the graduates to continue their paths forward and overcome obstacles and naysayers that may discourage them from removing barriers for themselves and others. He called on them to be productive and lead with kindness.
Students in both graduation ceremony were announced by friend of the University, Mike Miller, to thunderous applause and cheering as they walked across the stage in the time-honored tradition of academia. As the students and families left the building, not even the rain could dampen the dawning of the first day of the rest of their lives.
If you would like to watch the morning and/or afternoon ceremonies, you can view them at www.unoh.edu/graduation or check out the Graduation Playlist on the University’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@unoh_edu
Category: Business, Health, and Occupational Professions, Applied Technologies
Keywords: Graduation
