Graduate, BSN Students Celebrated in Hooding and Pinning Ceremonies

The world is about to get more Jesuit-educated health care, education and business professionals.

That's after a series of hooding and pinning ceremonies Saturday that marked the completion of studies for more than 200 students in several Rockhurst University's graduate degree programs and its Bachelor of Science in nursing program.

Instead of the larger spring commencement ceremony, the hoodings and pinning are opportunities for the cohorts within these programs to celebrate their accomplishments together in a smaller setting on campus, in Arrupe Hall.

While the close of this academic chapter of their life is important, it's not the only reason to stop and reflect, according to Grayson Mueller, a dual-degree earner in the Master of Science in Data Analytics and Master of Business Administration programs who was selected to speak on behalf of students during the ceremony for business, education and Master of Science in nursing students. He said there was much to be proud of.

"The hoods we receive today represent more than academic achievement - they symbolize the dedication, perseverance, and support that have carried us here," he said.

Mueller said he also wanted to recognize the impact of the Jesuit core values, which he said are tools that will guide him and the other graduates through life.

Alexis Larson, the student speaker for the Doctor of Physical Therapy hooding ceremony, thanked family, staff, fellow students and, of course, the faculty, who treated the students as peers from day one. She said the impact was such that she found herself invoking the names of her faculty when she needed a boost of confidence.

"I can speak for my class when I say there have been many tough situations on clinical rotations where I've thought, 'OK, what would Rachele Burriesci do? That's right. Take a deep breath and take vitals,'" she said. "You've given us a great foundation to build upon as we start our careers."

The challenges are far from over - for many of these students, licensure exams and those first jobs await. But Dominic Diaz, who spoke on behalf of Occupational Therapy Doctorate students, said he couldn't help but think about his first day in the OTD program, sitting in the very same auditorium in Arrupe Hall. He said he, like others, struggled at times with self-doubt and whether he had made the right choice. And like he did then, he encouraged his fellow graduates to keep moving.

"While the days of this journey felt long, the weeks felt short, and I still find it hard to believe that we have already made it to the end of this chapter," he said. "We are no longer the same people we were when we first sat in these chairs. We are all now more confident, experienced, intelligent, skilled and accomplished. Now that we have finished our journey here at Rockhurst, we must prepare ourselves to enter a new unknown. Once again, we may all be feeling a new set of reservations, but like we all have done so many times before, we must continue to keep moving forward."