University awards 330 degrees during Summer Commencement

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The University of Louisiana at Lafayette conferred 330 degrees during its Summer Commencement ceremony on Friday at the Cajundome.

Bachelor’s degrees were awarded to 226 graduates. Master’s degrees were awarded to 90 graduates, the most ever at a summer ceremony. Fourteen graduates earned doctoral degrees.

Graduates represented 37 parishes, 20 states and 15 countries. The youngest graduate is 21; the oldest is 54.

Dr. Joseph Savoie, UL Lafayette president, told Summer 2019 graduates they had the potential to “make a difference in the communities and the lives of people you hold dear.”

“You need only strength of character and a sense of purpose. You are seated here today because you have both. And you are seated here today because you are prepared to stand for something tomorrow,” Savoie said.

Dr. Jeffrey George, an associate professor of guitar studies in the School of Music and Performing Arts, was the Commencement speaker. He was honored with a Distinguished Professor Award in April.

George reminded graduates that “success is a journey. It’s not a destination.”

“The truth about goals is the closer you get to actually reaching them, the more they change, unfold and grow,” George said.

Keegan Christopher Lange was recognized as a summa cum laude graduate for achieving a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Lange, a computer science major, received a bachelor’s degree from the Ray P. Authement College of Sciences.

The University held its first summer ceremony since 1949 in 2014. Summer Commencement was reintroduced to give graduating seniors an opportunity to participate in a ceremony without having to wait until the end of the fall semester.

View a list of Summer 2019 graduates.

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