Gonzaga Graduation Weekend!

Mother's Day Weekend was especially sweet this year. As has been done for many years now, Gonzaga University Commencement is celebrated on this weekend with the graduation ceremony on Mother's Day itself.

John has looked forward to this day since April of 2009 when, upon his return from Accepted Students Weekend at GU, he announced his university selection to his mother and father at the airport. He climbed into the car and declared that "We should make plans to be in Spokane on May 12th, 2013. That is when my class will graduate."

Although John was unable to attend school during his senior spring semester, he was eligible to "walk the stage" with his classmates. The school's support continued to be outstanding throughout the weeks leading up to graduation as Shari Rasmussen, Susie Prusch and Jolanta Weber shepherded us through graduation preparation from afar.

We arrived in Spokane on Friday and immediately had to drop John off with his roommates at their house. He had missed them quite a bit and he wanted to spend as much time with them on this final college weekend.  Plus, they had his cap and gown!!

We proceeded to our rental house in South Hill.  There we were joined by all of the family that came north or west to be with John. It was a good sized crew. We were fortunate that his aunts Joyce, Jackie, Tammie and Missy, and his uncles Bill and Mike made the trip.  John's cousins Courtney  and Juliana,  along with family friend Patty Kirchhof, out from Connecticut, also made the trip.

Friday night started what turned out to be the one constant on the trip, dinner at our rental with the family.  We had a great setting to host our family, a large kitchen and lovely patio setting, which was fortunate as GU Graduation Weekend it is a nightmare at the restaurants! Everybody pitched in and we had a great first night.

Saturday morning we picked up John from his house and headed over to the Senior Toast at the Martin Center. We had a nice few minutes with President McCulloh at the Toast before he had to put the finishing touches on his commencement address.  Following this event we proceeded to the McCarthey Athletic Center for Baccalaureate Mass. It was a beautiful service, the second to last event that the seniors would share.

John, David, Brian, Andy Z, missing Andy Kelly

Back to the house we went for another meal and a chance to watch the Warriors playoff matchup with San Antonio.  The 102-92 loss turned out to be the only sour note of the weekend! 

Sunday was  a  beautiful,  warm day.  We were up an at it early as the seniors had to head into their corral at 8:30 am. The academic procession began on time and the largest graduating class in Gonzaga history streamed in to the Spokane Arena.  The speeches were inspiring and appropriately short :) and the reading of the graduates proceeded apace. Finally the big moment arrived and we see John striding across the stage to receive the diploma folder from President McCulloh.

He made it!

Now as you probably know from your own experience, there is no diploma in that folder as final grades aren't in yet and final bills have to be settled. The diplomas follow in the mail. However that folder wasn't empty.  No, it contained the application to join the Gonzaga Alumni Association. They don't miss a beat at GU.

Following the recessional from the Arena, to the tunes played by the Scottish bagpipe and drum corps, the seniors graduates of the class of 2013 gathered for some final pictures and goodbyes.  While an exhilarating time it is also all too bittersweet.

The parents and Godparents managed to get in the pictures too.  We are soooooooo proud.

Dad. John and Mom

Well, it was back to the house for one last dinner and to help celebrate we had a little of Gonzaga Red!

We even had a surprise visit at dessert from the Biggs, Karen, Tom and  Brian GU '13. It was a great finish to the weekend.

John was off to Hawaii a few days later with Brian and Jordan.  There are some great photos from that trip which we'll post soon.

Now it is nose to the grindstone time as John has a couple of classes he is finishing up in summer school to complete his degree requirements. He is furiously banging away at his projects, quizzes, tests, papers and online discussion boards.  We hope to celebrate his accomplishment in the Bay Area sometime in July. Stay tuned.