SPECIAL COMMENCEMENT ISSUE
MAY 1, 2014 | VOL. 91 NO. 22 | THEYELLOWJACKET.ORG
STUDENT PRODUCED SINCE 1924
Walking On
Seniors fund largest class gift in WU history By KARA BEMER Staff Writer
gowns upon entering the dining hall. During this time, graduates are also expected to pick up honor cords and academic excellence pins in the old gym. These are available until 1 p.m. According to documents obtained from Student Senate records regarding a policy instituted by the university last year, students are permitted to wear cords issued by the registrar’s office, the Waynesburg University Honors Academy or approved na-
In the days approaching graduation, the class of 2014 made one final contribution to the university that will continue to impact students for years to come. The 2014 graduating class announced its class gift as the Endowed Scholarship Fund, the largest class gift in university history. Fifty-two graduating students, families and Alumni Council members contributed a total of $5,000 to the scholarship, meeting their monetary goal for the class gift. The scholarship will not just be offered next year, but for years to come, and it will continue to grow through interest and future alumni donations. Vikki Beppler, alumni relations representative, led the fundraising efforts for the Endowed Scholarship Fund. “I’m very excited about this fund,” said Beppler. “This is the largest senior class amount raised to date and the scholarship is so unique because something like this has not been done before. The impact of this gift is great due to the nature of the scholarship, and students can easily identify with it.” Beppler encouraged the senior class to donate at least $5,000 towards the fund, if the senior class met this goal, the university would then match the amount to provide a $10,000 scholarship. Once the senior class met
See GRADUATION on AA5
See GIFT on AA3
James Little, Yellow Jacket
Students process between lines of faculty members after receiving their diplomas during commencement last spring. On Sunday, May 18, more than 600 Waynesburg University students will graduate.
University to recognize more than 600 graduates during commencement May 18 By NICK FARRELL Executive Editor
Approximately 600 undergraduate and graduate students will walk at the 163rd Commencement at Waynesburg University Sunday, May 18. Commencement Day festivities begin at 10 a.m., when graduating students and faculty members are asked to report to the Marsh Center in Roberts Chapel, according to the official commencement schedule on the Waynesburg University website. Once there, Dr. James Bush, assistant
faculty marshal, will assemble the speaker. procession line for the baccalaureStudents do not need to wear their ate service, which begins at 11 a.m. caps or hoods to the baccalaureate in the chapel. service. The procession line For a complete Following the service will begin to form at Commencement Day in the chapel, graduat10:30 a.m.; at the same schedule, see AA5 ing students and two time, guests will be guests may attend the permitted entry to the Read up on this Graduate Luncheon in chapel. The procession year's graduates in the Benedum Dining Hall. begins at 10:50 a.m. Spotlight section, D1 According to the official for the baccalaureate commencement schedservice, which will feature the Rev. ule, the luncheon begins at 11:30 a.m. Thomas M. Hall, pastor of First Pres- and students are to present the tickbyterian Church of Pittsburgh, as the ets they received with the caps and
R.I.P. Dead Week: Commencement speaker stresses power of choice No senior events planned after finals By ERIC BOST
Managing Editor
By NICK FARRELL Executive Editor
For the first time in several years, the activities calendar for dead week is barren. According to Mary Cummings, executive vice president for Student Services, the university has elected to not offer activities for students during the days between the conclusion of finals week on May 8 and commencement on May 18. Cummings said this decision is based on a data analysis of student participation in planned activities over the last few years, which she said was relatively low. “When we looked at the data of what participation we actually had in activities, it wasn’t high. In some cases, it wasn’t even measurable,”
said Cummings. Additionally, Cummings said complaints from parents also played a role in the decision to eliminate dead week activities. She said parents who filed complaints were often upset that their son or daughter did not return home to start working after their education concluded. “I got a fair amount of parent calls—probably more on this subject than I did on any other subject, including discipline,” said Cummings. “There was a mix of perceptions coming from the parents, and I will say that’s not the full reason [for eliminating dead week activities], but that probably triggered the thought in the first place.” See WEEK on AA5
“Destiny is not a matter of chance, it’s a matter of choice.” Every day that Laura Ellsworth walks into her office at Jones Day in Pittsburgh at 7 a.m., she sees that quote by Jeremy Kitson taped above her desk. The quote is not only her
derstand the power of choice that lies within all of us,” said Ellsworth. Ellsworth did not live a normal life growing up, probably because her father wasn’t a normal dad. A world famous doctor who Ellsworth said was the “top man in his particular field in the world,” her house was See ELLSWORTH on AA4
Baccalaureate speaker redefines being a hero By KIMMI BASTON Staff Writer
On Sunday, May 18, graduating Waynesburg University students will be honored during a baccalaureate service at 11 a.m. in Roberts Chapel, prior to commencement. Inspiring the students at the baccalaureate service will be the Rev. Thomas M. Hall
INSIDE
WU WELCOMES NEW CFO
Commencement. . . AA1–AA8 Campus. . . . . . . . . . A1–A3, A6 Editorial/Op-ed. . . . A4–A5 Entertainment . . . . A7–A8 Region. . . . . . . . . . . B1–B4 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . C1–C4 Spotlight. . . . . . . . . D1–D4
John Olon brings his background in higher education—and a mindset founded upon teamwork and faith—to Waynesburg.
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inspiration for “The theme of her speech durthe remark is that ing Waynesburg ever ything has University’s comhappened to us in mencement cerlife involves our emony on Sunday, choice, how we May 18, but it is choose to react to her inspiration for it, how we choose life, a certain powto find ourselves in er that has existed the first place, and Ellsworth in all of us since it is talking about the dawn of time: the power different stories in my own of choice. life that has helped me un-
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II, senior pastor of 30-year career as the First Presbyan Air Force coloterian Church of nel. Pittsburgh. Hall’s sermon at Hall became a the service is titled, part of this church “Where have All in 2009 after earnthe Heroes Gone?” ing his masters “We live in kind degree in divinity of a self-centered from Pittsburgh age where people Hall Theological Semiare called heroes nary in 2008. Prior to this, by being themselves, and Hall retired in 2004 from a that’s who we hold up as
SOCCER COACH LEAVES
heroes,” said Hall. “But we actually believe in a God who gave up being God and he stepped into our world.” Hall believes we as a society have lost sight of what being a hero truly means. “We’ve kind of turned the idea of hero inside out and upside down,” said Hall. “It used to mean someone who See HALL on AA3
PRESIDENT LEE REFLECTS
Carl Griffiths, the reigning Presidents' Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, is leaving Waynesburg for Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi. See C1
After an historic first year as the campus' leader, University President Douglas G. Lee recounted some of his favorite experiences and memories.
See AA2