Message from Dr. Belinda S. Miles: Traditions & Celebrations
May 6, 2022
Colleagues,
5 days, 17 hours, and 40 minutes! We’re in the countdown to commencement – our first in-person graduation since May 2019! Student Involvement and Commencement Committee members are hard at work to ensure an outstanding – and safe – experience for our students and their loved ones. The Class of 2022 is truly one to be celebrated. Many of our graduates began their academic journeys just as WCC pivoted to fully remote teaching and learning. These and all our graduates have demonstrated true persistence in achieving their academic goals. They are the #VikingStrong!
We proudly celebrate student and employee achievements and strive to keep our longstanding traditions alive – especially during challenging times. As more of our events and celebrations occur in person, I am encouraged by the camaraderie you share with each other and students.
While we celebrate our graduates’ accomplishments, sobering data from a recent Gallup article presents a contrasting view. It indicates that 41% of 2-year degree students considered withdrawing from their studies. Sixty-three percent of associate degree pursuing students cited emotional stress and mental health as the top reasons for wanting to withdraw. The end of the semester can be a stressful time that overwhelms students working to complete their coursework. Thank you for prioritizing student mental health, which is essential to student success.
Amid this rush to the finish line, there are also many opportunities to slow down, connect with others, and honor the wins – big and small. Just this week, we had the Stress-Free Finals event in the Student Center, Lavender Graduation celebrating our LGBTQIA+ graduating students, and tonight we celebrate our 74th Annual Student Leader Recognition Dinner.
Our traditions and celebrations continue next week. On Tuesday, the WCC Foundation hosts its annual Lester M. Crystal President’s Forum on Where Are We Now: Journalism, Social Media and the State of Democracy. Vice President Swirin-Yao asked to share the following free registration link with students, faculty, and staff: https://wccf.onlinegalas.org/free-registration/. Registration will permit you to view the panel discussion for 30 days following the event. On Wednesday, the Center for Teaching and Learning hosts its annual celebration of teaching and learning with keynote speaker Dr. April Baker-Bell discussing “Linguistic Justice: Black Language, Literacy, and Pedagogy.” And we’ll celebrate the achievements of our nursing students during Wednesday’s Nursing Pinning Ceremony.
Finally, please join me in congratulating colleagues for the following honors received during the Lavender Graduation ceremony:
- Student Award for Excellence in LGBTQIA+ Advocacy: Raphael Curaming, Class of 2022 Nursing program graduate and President of GLOW Student Club;
- Faculty and Staff Award for Excellence in LGBTQIA+ Advocacy: Jade Watts, Office Coordinator, Department of Mental Health and Counseling Services and Co-chair of the LGBTQIA+ Task Force.
Traditions like these remind us of the importance of community and belonging. As we all continue to work through our re-emergence, I share a quote from American poet and author Maxine Kumin: “sometimes tradition is a way of keeping going.” And that’s what we do.
Belinda S. Miles
President