One of the most rewarding aspects of my role as chancellor is to see the excitement of students, and the pride of their families, as they graduate. I had the pleasure of conferring 1,412 degrees earlier this month.

 

That pride is shared by faculty and staff members who have spent several years teaching, observing and encouraging these students to grow. They have broadened our students' intellectual horizons, challenged them to think critically, mentored, guided and cajoled them to prepare for success in life.

 

It's rewarding to see our students grow, and to see the unwavering support of faculty and staff in this transformation.

 

Support comes in many forms. Financial aid experts guide students through a maze of choices, including loan repayment options. Tutors provide academic assistance, whether in math, English or other subjects as needed. Those who are the first in their families to attend college – as are nearly 50 percent of our students – sometimes need an extra hand in transitioning to a successful college experience, and UW-Stevens Point helps guide them. Academic advisers help students explore career options and plan class schedules so they can complete degrees sooner. Residence hall staff plan activities, and a host of student organizations provide opportunities to learn outside the classroom. Staff members from Accounting to Facility Services support the educational experience.

 

Support also comes in physical and emotional ways. Two examples resounded at commencement ceremonies May 16:

 

• Tarryl Janik, a philosophy/religious studies major, is battling an aggressive cancer. He received several rounds of high-dose chemotherapy during the spring semester that weakened him physically but did not dampen his determination to graduate. He finished his undergraduate coursework early.

 

"I have watched TJ attack his work with a level of intellectual curiosity, determination and energy that I have found both amazing and personally humbling," said Luke Whitmore, assistant professor of religious studies, who worked closely with Tarryl.

 

Because of his cancer treatment, Tarryl was not able to physically march at commencement. Beverley David, assistant professor of French and Spanish, offered to accompany Tarryl in a wheelchair. They walked in with fellow graduates, and she wheeled him across the commencement stage to receive his diploma. What a pleasure to shake the hand of this courageous, determined man who graduated with honors and wants to be a professor. What a pleasure to witness Ms. David's kindness.

 

• Alisa Damitz, who was class speaker, told of another form of support. Her father was diagnosed with inoperable cancer when she was in her first year of studies at UW-Stevens Point. When his condition worsened, she considering pursuing graduate studies in Milwaukee so she could be home with her family. Her father wouldn't allow it, she said, because he knew she'd be taken care of at UW-Stevens Point. As his life drew to a close, her professors "not only allowed but encouraged me to spend those final days with him."

 

Compassion, understanding and support from faculty and friends on campus and in the community enveloped her during this difficult time and the years that followed. She received her master's in communicative disorders-speech and language pathology May 16.

 

Alisa's charge to her classmates resonates with all of us in the journey of life: "We dared to go somewhere filled with uncertainty. But we were lucky enough to find that all of those uncertainties were merely possibilities. And today, the possibilities become endless."

 

As our graduates pursue those possibilities, they can be assured UW-Stevens Point faculty and staff will continue to encourage them.