More than 500 students from Emporia State University can now call themselves graduates.
Winter commencement activities took place at ESU inside Emporia’s White Auditorium, with graduate activities scheduled for Friday night. This year saw almost 350 students eligible for degrees, a three percent increase from the prior year.
Retiring ESU President Ken Hush says it has been a year of growth and opportunity for the university, a trend he hopes will continue for students in the next phase of their lives. His advice to graduates before they crossed the stage was to “Keep an open mind” as their respective journeys, post-university, begin to unfold.
Over 200 undergraduate students received their degrees Saturday morning. Both ceremonies saw comments from Kansas Board of Regents member Alycia Johnston, who says the opportunity to attend graduations is, in her opinion, the most rewarding part of the job.
Friday and Saturday’s commencements will be the final for Hush as president of the university as he will officially enter retirement this coming Wednesday. Hush says the transition from receiving his degree as a graduate to later handing out degrees to future students as university president has been a full-circle experience.
Come spring commencement in May, students will be receiving their degrees and congratulations from newly appointed ESU President Matthew Baker who was appointed as the 19th leader of the institution following a special on-campus vote by the Kansas Board of Regents Thursday.
Photos by Tagan Trahoon/KVOE News
