Christine J. Sobek, Ed.D.
With commencement ceremonies happening across the country, May is always a special time of the year on college campuses. That is certainly the case at Waubonsee as we prepare to celebrate the academic accomplishments of our students.
This year, more than 1,000 people will earn an associate degree at Waubonsee. Of those, 45 have earned the distinction of Presidential Honors with a GPA of 4.0 and 275 others have earned Academic Honors with a GPA of 3.5 to 3.9. Nearly 300 students are members of academic honor societies. The average GPA of all graduates this year is 3.17; a remarkable number and accomplishment for such a diverse population.
Waubonsee’s youngest graduate this year is 17 years old and the oldest is 71 years old. The average age of all the graduates this year is 28. Overall, most of our students (74 percent) are enrolled part-time, many because they work full-time jobs or are raising families.
The combination of these academic and demographic statistics clearly indicate that anyone of any age can achieve their educational goals and do so with distinction. They all have every reason to be proud of what they have done.
We are excited to have as this year’s commencement speaker the Honorable Gail Johnson, President of the Village of Oswego. As a 1992 Waubonsee graduate, our 2006 Distinguished Alumnus and leader in the community, she represents the very best of Waubonsee. It is a privilege to have her as our speaker this year.
I wish all of these students the very best in their next endeavors. Whether it be transferring to another college, entering the workforce, or advancing in their current field because of the education and experience gained at Waubonsee, I am confident that they will continue to enhance their lives and the communities where we live and work. I thank them for choosing Waubonsee and congratulate them on this wonderful accomplishment.
Our commencement ceremony is a significant milestone for many, but it is certainly not the end of the road. Summer classes will soon begin and the fall term will be here before we know it. If you have ever thought about attending college, I invite you to look at Waubonsee. Visit our website https://www.waubonsee.edu/ to learn more about the high-quality, flexible and affordable options that are available at all four of our campuses and online. I’m sure that you will find something that meets both your personal interests and your academic and professional needs.
