Congratulations Class of 2019!
A full house of graduates, family, and friends celebrated commencement for the Indiana University South Bend Class of 2019. The event was held at the Joyce Center at Notre Dame where 1,027 degrees were conferred.
IU President Michael A. McRobbie presided and IU South Bend Interim Chancellor Jann Joseph gave her farewell remarks to graduates. She has taken the position of president at Georgia Gwinnett College near Atlanta. She closed her address by saying, “I want you to look around. I want you to remember this moment. You probably won’t remember anything anyone said tonight but I want you to remember this moment. Earning a college degree has changed the trajectory of your life. It has set into motion a chain of events that will benefit you the rest of your life. It did for me and it will for you.”
The ceremony included a set of triplets; a set of identical twins; five sets of Latino siblings; and a mother, daughter, and son all receiving their degrees together.
The Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Robert H. Johnson, BS'79 (Marketing). He served in several executive-level positions at Fortune 500 companies, including president of Sprint’s consumer business, area president and chief customer officer of Frontier Communications, executive vice president for AT&T Wireless, and president of AT&T Aviation Communications.
Student Government Association President Kevin Schascheck delivered the student address. He said, “In times where higher education and the pursuit of truth are being attacked, we are called to reflect on how we can use our degrees to be better citizens. Let’s be engaged. Let’s fight for what’s right.”
The ceremony closed with the singing of Hail to Old I.U. led by Brock Crockom who had just graduated with a Bachelor of Music from the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts.