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On a beautiful summer afternoon,
Antioch McGregor held its graduation ceremonies on Sunday, July
20, at the new (opened in March of this year) Schuster
Performing Arts Center in downtown Dayton (See Event
Images). Some 166 graduates marched - quite a sight.
As is usual with McGregor graduations, the format was traditional but the spirit
and gaiety that prevailed were typical of Antioch and McGregor graduations. All
who participated were in academic regalia - faculty, graduates, the speaker, etc
- and we entered in procession accompanied by a string quartet playing Elgar's
Pomp and Circumstance (I think it was No. 5), perhaps better known as "Land
of Hope and Glory". This formality is something that appeals to
the McGregor community, especially to its students and graduates and their
families.
There were five student speakers representing the following graduating
groups - Undergraduate Studies, Graduate Management, Education, Individualized
Liberal and Professional Studies and Conflict Resolution. The speakers
were terrific, and all spoke feelingly and deeply about their McGregor experience, and
in chatting with some of the graduates at the informal cheese and punch reception
that followed, it was clear to me that their time at McGregor was a highlight
to be long remembered.
Lee Morgan spoke feelingly of his "Antioch DNA" starting with his
grandfather (See Speech), and his efforts not
only to grow The Antioch Company but also how he has made it an employee-owned
company with increased participation by the employees in the decision-making
process.
While I am not an expert at estimating crowd sizes, I would think that the
audience totaled something in excess of 1,200 to 1,300 people - the first floor
of the theatre was about 90% full, the first balcony about 75% and there even
were some in the second balcony. It seemed to me that just about every
graduate had an impressive cheering section present.
Niels Lyster,
Antioch University Trustee
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