Spring Commencement

-- Dara Trooien-Leitner

Approximately 750 proud Metropolitan State University students will don black caps and gowns when they receive their bachelor’s and master’s degrees during the May 3 commencement, which will occur at the Minneapolis Convention Center auditorium.

Students earned degrees from First College, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Management, the College of Professional Studies, the School of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, and the School of Nursing.

President Wilson G. Bradshaw welcomed the graduating students as well as their families and friends, who filled the auditorium to the brim not only to show their support and to watch the one they love reach a major milestone in their life, but to acknowledge the hard work it took to graduate from college.

Nancy Wolf, a graduate student in the School of Nursing, received the Outstanding Graduate Student Award from Metropolitan State and was chosen as the student speaker for the evening.

Tené Wells, a Metropolitan State alumnus who holds a B.A. in business administration, was chosen as the keynote speaker. Wells is the president of WomenVenture, a nonprofit agency that helps women develop economic goals. Under Wells’ leadership, WomenVenture has taught women of all ages and of levels of education and income how to achieve economic success and prosperity.

Other commencement participants include: William Lowe, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Metropolitan State; the Honorable Ruth Grendahl from the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) board of trustees; Laura King, vice chancellor and chief financial officer for MnSCU; Todd Nicholson, Metropolitan State Foundation chair; and David Bouchard, a professor representing the Faculty Association.

Metropolitan State Outstanding Students include: From the College of Arts and Sciences, graduate Shannon Johnson; from the College of Management, undergraduate Joanna Stephens; from the College of Professional Studies, graduate Basha Shaik and undergraduates Laurie Stenzel and Ilyssa Siegel; from First College, undergraduate Terry Bebertz; from the School of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, undergraduate Katherine Whelan; and from the School of Nursing, graduate Nancy Wolf and undergraduate Erich Buckheit.