SDA Graduation Celebration Script

Welcome Hello and welcome to the Seattle University Student Development Administration Graduation Celebration for the class of 2013! This event is hosted by SUSDA -- the Seattle University Student Development Association -- which is the student organization affiliated with the masters program. My name is Lakeisha Jackson and I will serve as your event emcee this evening. For the past academic year, I have served on the executive team of SUSDA as first-year liaison. In this capacity, my main responsibilities were to build community among first-year students and to plan, coordinate and host this graduation celebration. History This event is a formal opportunity for the graduates to gather and celebrate with their communities of support, to say see you later because for those of us in student affairs, its never really goodbye! (SMILE) I want share a small piece of history about this event. The SDA program director Dr. Jeremy Stringer shared with me that this event started as a grassroots movement it came from the students for the students. It was an idea from a first year SDA student. It was 1997 or 1998, I believe, (insert pop culture reference here ) and the student came to Jeremy and said, I am really going to miss my graduating classmates and I want to host a send-off celebration for them. So the first year students

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organized, got some beer and had a BBQ in the park this was the beginning of a strong tradition that has happened over the past 16 years. Present day this event has grown in size, presentation, formal location, and beverage options. But, the heart of event is still the same. Transition As a first year student and member of e-team, so many of you have held my heart, my ear and my time, and I am so very proud to have organized this event with the planning committee, for each and every one of you the SDA graduating class of 2013! For the past few months I have been dreaming about this event and all of you attending and enjoying this celebration. But as the beautiful Aerosmith song I Dont Want to Miss a Thing says: even when I dream of you, the sweetest dream will never do. You all look so very lovely and happy tonight! To the loved ones of the graduates, I know that many of you traveled from far distances to be here this evening to celebrate with your graduate (loved one) who in a matter of forty-four hours will be a student affairs professional who has earned a masters degree. AND That is a VERY BIG deal! Roll call Lets take a minute to acknowledge who is in the room today. When I say the group that you identify with please stand and be acknowledged.

SDA Graduation Celebration Script

First, if you are the partner, family member, friend or loved-one of a graduating SDA student here today, please stand so that we may applaud you! PAUSE. Next, if you are a Seattle University faculty or staff member, please stand so that we may applaud you! PAUSE. If you are a Seattle University community partner, as to say that you work at another institution but collaborate with SDA faculty and students, please stand so that we may applaud you! PAUSE. If you are an alum of the SDA program, please stand so that we may applaud you! PAUSE. If you are a member of the committee that planned this grand celebration yes Jackie, Tracy, Sophie, Erin and Katie heres looking at you, please stand so that we may applaud you! PAUSE. Last, and never the least, the stars of our evenings event, if you are graduating student of the SDA program, please stand proudly, so that we may applaud you! Whew! Doesnt it feel good to applaud people and to be applauded! Yes! I know right. Like the great lyricist Kanye West said about his big brother & mentor Jay-Z, If you admire somebody you should go on 'head tell 'em, People never get the flowers while they can still smell 'em. Speaking of, acknowledging, I want to take a moment to applaud our pianist Myron McCabe. Myron is a classically trained pianist. He has been playing a

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variety of instruments for over 50 years. Additionally, he is my step-father, and a wonderful person with a heart for blessing other people through the musical arts. Introduction of Shaterika Perkins Now, Id like to introduce Shaterika Perkins, a graduating SDA student. Shaterika is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. For the past two years during her time in the SDA program she has held professional roles with the SU Commuter and Transfer Student Life program and with the University of Washington Bothells student services division. Her deep passion for social justice, equity/access issues, and meaning-making experiences have all manifest throughout her time in the SDA program. Please welcome Shaterika as she comes to provide us with an innovation. Introduction of Dr. Robert (Bob) Hughes Thank you Shaterika! Isnt she wonderful (APA reference) Next, we will have special remarks from Dr. Bob Hughes, Interim Dean of the College of Education. In fall 2007, Dr. Hughes joined the faculty of the Adult Education program here at Seattle University. Dr. Hughes received his Master of Arts in Teaching at the University of Washington and his doctorate degree at Harvard University. He brings extensive higher education teaching and administrative experience. He is the program director for the Adult Education and

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Training Program. This past year Dr. Hughes served as interim dean of the college of education after, Dr. Sue Schmitt, the long-serving dean of the College of Education stepped down. Not long after Dr. Schmitts role changed, she passed away unexpectedly. Dr. Hughes has led the College of Education through this loss and time of transition. Now, he will bring us remarks on behalf of the College. Please welcome Dr. Hughes Introduction of Steven Linenberger Thank you, Dr. Hughes. Next, we will have a graduating student present his reflections on his experience in the program. Steven Linenberger earned his bachelors degree at Regis University. Additionally, he worked at Regis before coming to Seattle. He currently is a resident director at University of Washington Bothell. This past winter quarter, Steven and I were both in Leadership & Governance in Post-Secondary Education and he made comments about how he likes e-books and books on tape and being read toand I thought YES ME too! Who doesnt love being read to?? Ok, some people dont, but it was my goal to get Steven to read to me, and the other 149 people here! So please welcome Steven! Introduction of Kelli Muilenburg Wonderful! Thank you, Steven!

SDA Graduation Celebration Script

Now, for a very special part of our program: the presentation of the Erin Swezey Spirit of Community Award. To present this award, I invite the outgoing SUSDA Vice Chair Kelli Muilenburg to the podium for the presentation. Kelli Introduction of Musical Performance We all know SDA student are people of great talent. I invite you all to sit back and enjoy this following musical performance. Some might call it SDA Graduation Celebration the musical! Introduction of Dr. Jacob Diaz Thank you Laura Lynn and Mike, (Microphone joke) Dr. Diaz serves as vice president of the division of student development. Many of the graduating students in this room have spent the better part of the past two years working as a graduate assistants through various departments within the division of student development. (Look up and smile). Dr. Diaz received his doctorate in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies and his masters degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration from the University of Vermont. His received his bachelors degree in English literature, with an emphasis on 20th century writers from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Dr. Diazs scholarly and professional interests focus on dismantling oppression through dialogue and narrative writing, racial identity development, leadership

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through a multicultural lens and fostering engaging and vital learning experiences with students. Please welcome Dr. Diaz! Introduction of SDA Faculty for graduate reflections Okay, so you know how you go to a graduation and you hear all of the wonderful speeches, and youre thinking to yourself, when will they get to the recognition?? Well folks, the wait is over!! Dr. Erica Yamamura is an associate professor with the Student Development Administration program. She completed her doctorate in Higher Education and Organizational Change at UCLA. Prior to Seattle University, for three years she served as an assistant professor in the Educational Leadership program at Texas State University, San Marcos (Texas State). She primary teaches student development theory, Research and Assessment in Higher Education, The American Community College and the Fall National Capstone course. Ms. Erin Swezey is a locally and nationally renowned practitioner in the field of student affairs and higher education. She is a core faculty member in the SDA program and she is the Internship Coordinator for the program. She holds two Master of Arts degrees one from Michigan State and another from Seattle University. They say a phone call for Erin will get you into many doors!

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Dr. Jeremy Stringer is the founder and program director of the SDA program. He earned his doctorate degree at the University of Wisconsin. He has been a vice president of student affairs, an associate provost, and academic and student affairs department chair. He also served as dean of student a few years ago during his semester at sea. Conclusion Special thank you to our sponsors, you can note them as listed on the back of your program. This is the conclusion of our program, so allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Keisha. For the 2012-2013 academic year I served as first-year liaison for SUSDA. The conclusion of this event marks my final moments in that role. I am proud to move forward as the chair or what some might call the president of SUSDA for the 2013-2014 academic year. I thank each and every one of you for attending this event and celebrating the SDA class of 2013. They are amazing people! To each of you, I say be bold and move forward. Wherever the world takes you remember to hold on to the moments and people that made this night and your experience in the SDA program so very special and unique to you. I am so grateful to the planning committee for walking in this journey with me towards this event. I appreciate the SDA faculty and the SUSDA executive team

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for their support; in particular Kelli Muilenburg in her capacity as vice chair met with me extensively to develop the programming and funding for this event. Lastly, I would be remised if I did not acknowledge Darrell Goodwin, who is the Associate Dean of Students and Graduate Assistantship Coordinator here at Seattle University. Darrell is my supervisor for my graduate assistantship, and a year ago today we had coffee right across the street and discussed my transition from being a full-time professional to being a full-time graduate student and graduate assistant. In that conversation, he told me, you know SUSDA has a position called the first year liaison. You would be great at that role. - That was it! For those that know Darrell, you know that is how he is: few words, big impact. And so it was, he was right!! Its been a ball! Alright, with that I bid you all a good night and too many a good life post-SU and the SDA program. Go forth and set the world on fire!