Students share words of wisdom during 163rd commencement
51ĀŅĀ× awarded degrees to 450 students on May 10, a picture-perfect weather day for the institutionās 163rd commencement.
Lakeland awarded 290 undergraduate degrees and 160 graduate degrees. LU held three in-person ceremonies in the Wehr Center on Lakelandās main campus.
Erica Berndt, of Appleton, Wis., spoke on behalf of Lakelandās masterās degree recipients, noting that students learned much from one another.
āIn our virtual classrooms and discussion boards, during group projects and late-night study sessions, we've learned as much from each other's varied perspectives as we have from our textbooks and professors,ā said Berndt, who received a master of science in leadership & organizational development.
āThe parent juggling family responsibilities while completing assignments taught us perseverance. The young professional fresh from undergraduate studies brought enthusiasm and new ideas. The career-changer brought wisdom from other fields. Each of us helped create a special learning environment that made our education exceptional.ā
Sabina Alexander, of Springfield, Mo., shared the perspective of non-traditional age students reaching the finish line on Saturday.
āWe came back to school with goals, to do better for ourselves, our families and our futures, to set an example for our children and our next generation, to finish something we started or achieve something we thought we could not,ā said Alexander, who received a bachelorās degree in food safety & quality and was named 2025 Outstanding Student in FSQ.
āWe held on to those goals despite fear and fatigue, looking to them for strength when things got tough.ā
Gabe Ascher, of Wautoma, Wis., the winner of Lakelandās 60th annual Clarence H. Koehler Award, encouraged his fellow graduates to enter their next chapter with an open mind.
āOne thing I want our class to remember is that it is always OK to change,ā Ascher said. āWhether itās the place you live, your profession or the people around you, you can always wake up one day and decide that you want something new.ā
Commencement speakers at the three ceremonies were Clarence Johnson, CEO/president, Wisconsin Community Services; the Rev. Stephen Savides, pastor; and Mark Thomas, regional chief executive officer, Wis., American Red Cross. All three received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from LU.
Students getting degrees took classes at Lakelandās main campus in Sheboygan County, through its six centers located throughout Wisconsin and/or through online programming.
