graduation

I attended my 8th Methodist College/University graduation yesterday. As an employee at Methodist some might not find that very surprising, but I've only attended two as an employee. I was a student when I attended four of them (one being my own) and came back for two others. I've become quite the Methodist graduation connoisseur over the last six years.

In the beginning graduation was a bit more like a burden because I had finished my exams and was anxious to get home. Eventually my friends started graduating and it was nice to at least see them walk the stage. Unlike most bachelor's degrees, Methodist has a hooding ceremony. Graduates choose a "sponsor", ideally someone who has aided them during their college career, to walk across the stage with them and place the hood around their neck. During the three ceremonies I watched before my own, my favorite part was always seeing who people picked to hood them. Most people choose their mom or dad, so when it was my turn I had to be different. My aunt was a recent cancer survivor and I had grown particularly close to her during her treatments and asked her to be my sponsor. I think she thought I was an alcoholic (get it? sponsor for AA? ok never mind) but I assured her I just needed her to come to graduation. It was such a big deal to me and I hope my aunt felt the importance. I'm not sure Methodist does a very good job at explaining the significance to graduates who haven't attended a ceremony. Regardless, I will always cherish my own graduation and am grateful to my aunt for participating in the occasion!

Even after I graduated I still look forward to seeing everyone's sponsor. There are always oohs and aahs for the graduates who have their young children hood them or quiet chuckles when a 5 foot mom has to try to hood her 6'5 son (slight exaggeration). On Saturday the first graduate's sponsor was listed incorrectly... the sponsor was announced as the graduate's wife while an older man hooded him. Insert nervous laughter here. I was honored to be asked to hood a graduate but a bit nervous to be on the other end. I sat next to a guy hooding his brother. The graduate kept telling his brother he had written him down as his significant other. Lauren wanted to write down I was her lover. I would have loved to have seen the president's face after that one. Of course I think I surprised him enough being a hooder in my cap and gown as he tried to remember who I was. Good times.

Summary... hooding is a big deal to me. It's a big deal to see students walk the stage who wanted to quit but kept going. It's a big deal to be able to walk behind them and feel a part of the moment. And it's an even bigger deal that I did it in heels without falling! :)