Graduation

Last week we traveled to Boise, ID to celebrate our son and daughter-in-law’s graduation from Boise State University. They were both completing their Bachelor’s degree. I’m not really big on sitting through graduations, and as a professor I’ve sat through more than I want to remember. Even as I say that I realize it is not true. At UNLV we graduated on the previous Tuesday afternoon. That morning as I was walking into the office I saw proud parents and excited graduates appearing on campus. As I was watching their excitement I was reminded again why I teach. Sure, the speeches are tiresome, the hooding of new Ph.D.s seems to take forever, but as the students cross the stage and I see the excitement the graduate’s faces and in their happy countenances it renews enthusiasm.

Our family has had several graduations in just the last 2 years with our oldest daughter graduating summa cum laude (from Utah Valley State University), and we were as proud as her children. Then our oldest son graduated with his MBA from Iowa State University last December. It was cold, but worth the trip and the graduation experience.

Finally, and for the first time, we graduated two - son and daughter-in-law. It was as exciting as any graduation. It is not the end of our graduations for our children. More will come and we will be excited about them also. Following that is the graduation of our grandchildren. By the time that happens we will be nearing retirement, but I will always enjoy attending those terribly boring graduation as a proud grandparent, along with my lovely wife.