Emily's Graduation

Emily was awarded her undergraduate degree in Engineering from SIUC last Saturday.  The ceremony was held in the basketball arena.  Mike and I sat next to and above the stage which meant we faced the students.  Emily and her roommate Dana spotted us before we spotted them.

The keynote speaker was General Larry O. Spencer, USAF (RET).  He had graduated from SIUC with an engineering degree way back when.  He told the graduates to, among other things, take responsibility for their actions and to be kind.  I thought both were excellent advice.

After the ceremony, we joined the girls, their friends and their parents for a photo session.  This was the first time I had met Dana's parents even though the girls have known each other for four years.  

We noticed as the students processed in for the ceremony that some of them had decorated the tops of their graduation caps.  Dana let me take a picture of hers after the ceremony.  This is one tradition that I hope continues.  I had never seen it done before.  

Later we joined Dana's family for dinner at Logan's Roadhouse in Marion Illinois.  Right next door was a brand new Krispy Kreme donuts.  Mike and I could have skipped Logan's and just had dinner there.  Anyway,  it was a great day and we are proud of Emily, our summa cum laude engineer graduate.