Looking Back: Celebrating the Class of 2013

Last week was incredible. 

 

From Baccalaureate to the Graduation Celebration to the Commencement Ceremony, each moment of every day added to the emotions and to the memories of the three year journey of our Class of 2013. 

I sat in the Baccalaureate service last Wednesday and thought, “This is it! We’re getting ready to say goodbye to people who have been a part of our Shepherds family for years. Let’s send them off well God!”

I think we did.

The Handbell Choir played for them…

Christian, residents and staff prayed for them…

Our resident, Dennis, and the Shepherds College faculty sang to them…

Steve blessed them by reading Jeremiah 29:11-14…

And Mr. Wright gave the charge. “Don’t get overwhelmed, just focus on what is next,” he encouraged. “I could answer a lot of questions about ‘what is next’ when you first visited campus – the enrollment process, financial aid, your housing situation, the classes you’ll take… but I don’t know going forward. You will face times of trial and uncertainty for sure, but you will never face them alone.”

Then a flurry of activity went by in a blink – practices, set-up for graduation, last minute shopping for the celebration, photographers confirmed, sound checked, guitars tuned, lighting adjusted – and Friday was upon us before we realized it.

Oh goodness. 

Have you ever attended a Shepherds College Graduation Celebration? I’ll try to describe it as best I can without writing a book – 

It’s a night for graduates, their parents, and Shepherds College faculty and staff to celebrate the growth and achievement of each graduate. 

There are a lot of hugs, and they are tight and long and real.

Gifts are presented, and there’s a story behind each one.

Many, many memories are shared on stage and off…

Like the special talks Amanda and Mrs. Luchterhand experienced over Venti White Chocolate Mocha Macchiatos at Starbucks.

Or the high probability of Laurel becoming a well-known and hard-working movie critic.

Or Kelsie’s flights on Polish Airlines. 

Or Tess’s instinctive gift for creating a beautiful arrangement with flowers and a vase.

Did you hear the one about Ray’s jokes?

Or Zoe’s love of history?

I was so moved when I heard about Sierra’s strength and ability to overcome adversity.

And Anne’s natural ability to love and care for others.

And Daniel’s smile that warms people right down to their toes.

I knew exactly what Mr. Wright was talking about when he suggested Sam as a future President of the United States of America. 

Of course, Sean’s special moment with the Gaither’s received a final round of delighted applause.

It’s a night of friendship and family and joy and tears. It’s Kleenex boxes passed around a table, and laughter so hard you can’t sit upright in your chair. 

It’s roast beef pinwheels, jumbo shrimp, and the best brownies ever. 

It’s family photos, prayers of thanksgiving, and twinges in your heart when you realize it’s the last night you’ll see many of the graduates, maybe for a very, very long time.

And then, as if our emotions weren’t stretched to their limits already, the sun rose again and brought Graduation Day with it. 

We heard the Shepherds College Student Choir sing to the graduates as Shepherds College guitarists played along.

We were amazed as our shy Anne spoke in a clear, strong voice to the audience of 300, giving her reflections on the last three years.

We nodded our heads as Dr. Dixon gave his commencement address and talked about persevering through adversity. 

We watched our eleven graduates get handed their certificates of completion.

And then these eleven graduates turned their tassels and walked out into the sunshine to face the world as independent adults.

I would like to end this blog with “and they lived happily ever after,” as if I could control the world and

how it will treat our graduates. But I can’t. I can only influence, to a small degree, my little corner of it – my friends, my family, and the readers of this blog. I could ask that when you see one of our graduates, or anyone with a disability for that matter, that you smile at them, a grin that’s big and warm and welcoming. Be patient with them if they’re ahead of you in line at the grocery store and need a little extra time to count out their money. Ask them how they’re doing if you pass them on the sidewalk, and maybe treat them to a Tall Caramel Latte if they’re behind you at Starbucks. Stick up for them if you see them treated unfairly on the bus, and open your mind to the reality that they could be an exceptional employee to fill the position you have available at your business.

Let’s be the example for others to follow so every year the world will be that much more ready for the next class of Shepherds College graduates.

God bless our Class of 2013.

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.