Bittersweet Celebration

I think bittersweet is an accurate description of today’s college graduation at Wright State University.  As we drive to the Nutter Stadium on campus, we see our American flag at half-mast as a mark of respect for the victims of the school shooting in Connecticut.  Then, we see smiles of students and families as they enter the center. It will be a day of contrasts.

Inside the Nutter center, students are filling in the rows dressed in robes of hunter green and gold. This is a familiar site for faculty and students. It is not for me. Talking on my cell phone, I listen to directions so I can locate my family.

After the graduation ceremony, we gather at a local restaurant. At lunch, our conversations weave between today’s celebration and yesterday’s tragedy in Connecticut.  We celebrate ‘j’s graduation. We pray for the families in Connecticut. 

Today a degree was awarded posthumously to a student who died this summer.
This student lived a short and remarkable life.
She was the author of two children's books.
Legally blind, she attended every class with her guide dog.
This is the dog.
Today, Dr. David R. Hopkins shared a bit about her life.
Dr. Hopkins also pays tribute the young students who died yesterday.
In the midst of the celebration, he honors their memory.

At today's Wright State University graduation.

In the center, "J" the college graduate with her dad, niece, and friend.