{"id":3399,"date":"2022-05-21T17:17:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-21T17:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/?p=3399"},"modified":"2025-01-24T14:04:46","modified_gmt":"2025-01-24T19:04:46","slug":"more-than-1600-purdue-university-global-graduates-take-part-in-commencement-ceremonies-in-indianapolis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/2022\/Q2\/more-than-1600-purdue-university-global-graduates-take-part-in-commencement-ceremonies-in-indianapolis","title":{"rendered":"More than 1,600 Purdue University Global graduates take part in commencement ceremonies in Indianapolis"},"content":{"rendered":"

INDIANAPOLIS —<\/p> \n

Some 1,630 Purdue University Global<\/a> graduates took part in in-person and virtual commencement ceremonies Saturday (May 21) at the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In his address to the Class of 2022, speaker Derrick Howell-McQueen pointed out that commencement signifies a beginning rather than an ending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cIf you look within yourself and perceive today as the day that you have graduated, this perspective would imply that this is the end of the road for you,\u201d said Howell-McQueen, a financial coach and licensed minister born and raised in Indianapolis, who earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Purdue University Global in 2021. \u201cI would rather you focus your vision forward and to the future so that you can see that, yes, this is a moment that I\u2019ve achieved something great; yes, this is an opportunity for me to celebrate with my loved ones, with my family and all of those who have journeyed through this obstacle course with me, but I cannot allow myself to merely get stuck in this moment.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Derrick Howell-McQueen, an Indianapolis native who earned his Master of Business Administration degree from Purdue University Global in 2021, provided the keynote address for Purdue University Global commencement ceremonies on Saturday (May 21) in his hometown. (Purdue University photo\/John Underwood)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s our vision that fuels us so that we can continue to journey and to move forward in our lives. This is very important to realize and to conceptually understand because anything that is no longer progressing, anything that is no longer moving forward, is ultimately in the process of no longer existing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI charge you to never stop envisioning. Never stop growing. \u2026 I charge you to celebrate the accomplishment of today while simultaneously writing a new vision for tomorrow. Use today as future proof that you can persevere through anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saturday marked Purdue University Global\u2019s 13th commencement since its formation in 2018 and the third in Indianapolis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two in-person ceremonies and a virtual one took place over the course of the day. Degrees<\/a> were awarded from the schools of Aviation, Business and Information Technology, Education, General Education, Health Sciences, Nursing, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Concord Law School<\/a>. There were 738 bachelor\u2019s degrees, 579 master\u2019s degrees, 177 associate degrees, 83 certificates and 16 postgraduate certificates, and 37 doctoral degrees (23 Doctor of Nursing Practice, 12 Executive Juris Doctor and two Juris Doctor).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Purdue University Global conferred its first two Bachelor of Science degrees in professional flight \u2014 to Rafael Madrid of Orlando, Florida, and Aydin Yaman of Chicago, who graduated summa cum laude \u2014 a program that launched in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Chancellor Frank Dooley congratulated Purdue University Global graduates from all 50 states and across the globe on Saturday (May 21) in Indianapolis. (Purdue University photo\/John Underwood)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The graduates reside in all 50 states \u2014 including 281 Indiana residents and 46 from Indianapolis \u2014 plus Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as\u00a0Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan and Saint Kitts and Nevis.\u00a0Forty-three employees of\u00a0Purdue West Lafayette<\/a>,\u00a0Purdue Fort Wayne<\/a>,\u00a0Purdue Northwest<\/a>\u00a0and Purdue University Global are among those who earned a Purdue University Global degree or certificate via the\u00a0Purdue University Global education benefit<\/a>, pushing that total above 500 since the program\u2019s inception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chancellor Frank Dooley<\/a>\u00a0addressed the graduates \u2014 885 of them in person and 745 virtually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhether you are here in Indianapolis or participating virtually, we are grateful to provide a ceremony that brings us all together, no matter where we are around the globe,\u201d Dooley said. \u201cI love that we can remain close through this institution as we recognize your accomplishments today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dooley noted that over 9,000 Purdue University Global students are affiliated with the military, including nearly 5,100 active duty, National Guard and reserve members serving worldwide. Almost 50% are the first in their family to attend college, and about 60% care for a child or other dependent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat you have all done is so remarkable,\u201d Dooley said. \u201cYou completed your education while dealing with everything that life throws your way, including a pandemic. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to get where you are today, and you should be proud.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two Purdue University Global graduates performed the national anthem before their respective in-person ceremonies: Colleen Sheese, from Downs, Illinois, a U.S. Army veteran who earned a Master of Science degree in nursing, and Leighton Johnson, from Collierville, Tennessee, a U.S. Navy veteran who earned a master\u2019s degree in health care administration. Johnson previously graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor\u2019s degree in health care administration from Purdue University Global in 2020 and sang the national anthem at the December 2020 virtual ceremony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the days before commencement, Purdue University Global hosted various virtual celebratory events, including a photo booth, toast, graduation \u201cshout out\u201d board and social media activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over 10,000 Purdue University Global students have graduated in the last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next Purdue University Global commencement is scheduled for August 13 at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Purdue University Global<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Purdue University Global delivers personalized online education tailored to the unique needs of adults who have work or life experience beyond the classroom, enabling them to develop essential academic and professional skills with the support and flexibility they need to achieve their career goals. It offers personalized paths for students to earn an associate, bachelor\u2019s, master\u2019s or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, desired pace, military service, previous college credits and other considerations \u2014 no matter where they are in their life journey. Purdue University Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It is affiliated with Purdue University\u2019s flagship institution, a highly ranked public research university located in West Lafayette, Indiana. Purdue University also operates regional campuses in Fort Wayne and Northwest Indiana, as well as serving science, engineering and technology students at the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus. For more information, visit\u00a0purdueglobal.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n Media Contact:<\/strong>\u00a0Tom Schott,\u00a0tschott@purdue.edu<\/a>
Sources:<\/strong>\u00a0Frank Dooley
Beth Smith
Derrick Howell-McQueen <\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n
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Note to journalists:<\/p>\n

\n Photos of commencement,\u00a0Derrick Howell-McQueen\u00a0and Frank Dooley are available on\u00a0Google Drive<\/a>. <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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