Graduation 2008

More than 400 Mount Mercy students received degrees at the U.S.Cellular Center May 17.  Here are some images of that ceremony.

Top three
senior awards
announced

By Brian Heinemann
Editor

Mount Mercy President Dr. Christopher Blake presented the three biggest awards of graduation weekend himself.

The first, the President’s Award, was presented at the Honors Convocation in the Chapel of Mercy on Friday, May 16, 2008.  Blake used a quote from Isaac Newton to preface the presentation of the award, which states, “If I see things far off it’s because I stand on the shoulders of giants.”

With that in mind, Blake announced that the recipient of the award would be Jayne Dvorak, who graduated the following day with majors in both accounting and marketing, with a minor in finance.  Dvorak was in the honors curriculum at Mount Mercy and was the winner of five other awards at the Convocation.

At the commencement itself, Blake handed out the two most prestigious awards that Mount Mercy offers, the Mary Frances Warde Award and the Mary Catherine McAuley Award.

The Mary Frances Warde Award, which is given to the most outstanding transfer student to complete their education at Mount Mercy, went to Lindsay Dick, a communications major who won two other awards Friday.

The Mary Catherine McAuley Award, given to the most outstanding student who began their education as a freshman at Mount Mercy, went to Danyl Spivey, a nursing student.  Spivey earned eight awards at the Honors Convocation.

Dr. Christopher Blake, Mount Mercy President, prepares to speak at graduation.  (Andria Pooley/Times)

Mount Mercy seniors line up in a hallway at the U.S. Cellular Center before the start of the graduation ceremony.  (Brian Heinemann/Times)

Father Jim Brokman enjoys a joke during his final Mount Mercy graduation ceremony.  (Andria Pooley/Times)

Andrew Huffman and Jena Hugg enter the U.S. Cellular Center to the strains of Pomp and Circumstance played on a saxophone.  (Andria Pooley/Times)

The Mount Mercy Alma Mater was sung by the choir and the audience at graduation.  (Andria Pooley/Times)

Dr. David Ard, Professor of Philosophy and Religious studies, was one of the retiring faculty members honored during the graduation ceremony. (Andria Pooley/Times)

Students wait in line to walk across the stage and receive their diploma covers.  Actual diplomas were handed out at Mount Mercy after the ceremony.  (Brian Heinemann/Times)

After the newly minted Mount Mercy alumni all received their diploma covers, faculty and staff rose to applaud and honor the former students.  (Andria Pooley/Times)