Louisiana conferring 1,303 degrees during Commencement ceremonies
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is celebrating its Fall 2021 graduates during Commencement ceremonies today and tomorrow, where a total of 1,303 degrees will be conferred.
Individual Commencement ceremonies for the University’s eight academic colleges and Graduate School are being held Friday and Saturday at the Cajundome and Convention Center. Ceremonies for the colleges of the Arts, Business Administration, Engineering, Graduate School and Nursing and Allied Health Professions were set for Friday. Ceremonies for the colleges of Education, Liberal Arts, Sciences and University College are Saturday.
All told, the University will confer 977 bachelor’s degrees, 309 master’s degrees, 15 doctoral degrees and two graduate certificates. The number of master’s degrees are most ever awarded in a fall semester, and slightly less than the record number of master’s degrees awarded in the spring. Graduates are from 48 Louisiana parishes, 31 states and U.S. territories, and 39 foreign countries.
During the College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions’ ceremony, Dr. Joseph Savoie, UL Lafayette president, surprised graduates with one final assignment – to inspect their diplomas.
“On the surface, they commemorate your labor and sacrifice and success, but look closely and you can envision the fingerprints of your classmates, your faculty, your family and all the people who helped you to reach your destination today,” Savoie said.
“So, don’t let this day go by without thanking them. And in the future, when you look at your diplomas, imagine those fingerprints. Remember how the kindness of others influenced your lives, and let those memories inspire you to help someone else reach their goals as well.”
Community leader, businessman and philanthropist James “Jim” Devin Moncus was awarded an honorary doctorate of nursing practice posthumously during the ceremony. Moncus died earlier this year at age 81.
Taisiia Kolisnyk is UL Lafayette’s Outstanding Master’s Graduate. She earned a master of architecture from the School of Architecture and Design. Tyler Francis is the University’s Outstanding Graduate. An accounting major, he earned a bachelor’s degree from the B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration.
Eleven undergraduate students were recognized as summa cum laude graduates for achieving 4.0 GPAs. Honorees, listed by college, are:
College of the Arts
Evan B. Gillis, visual arts
B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration
Allison Joann Bourgeois, marketing
College of Engineering
Charles Kreamer, electrical engineering
College of Liberal Arts
Kylee P. Elkins, sociology
Caitlyn Michelle Hesterman, psychology
Cade H. Mataya, political science
Mikayla Elizabeth Miller, psychology
Ray P. Authement College of Sciences
Evan Jude Kidder, biology
Maxwell David Lovig, mathematics
Abby Jolie Miller, biology
Chloe Kim St. Germain-Vermillion, biology
Louisiana.edu
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