Page 3 - 2024 May report

HOPE SMILES
Robert A. Krause
“Graduation is an achievement. But fundamentally, at its core, it’s about hope.”
Thayne M. McCulloh, D.Phil., Gonzaga University President
There wasn’t a frown in the group. On May 9th, I attended my first round dance. The dance celebrated Gonzaga University Indigenous graduates, their friends and families. Indigenous musicians provided the live music. Participants held hands in a large circle and moved clockwise in a two-step fashion. My initial intimidation was overcome by an invitation to join.
Honestly, I initially wondered if the faces smiling at me were expressions of amusement at my lame effort to follow step. They were not. These were expressions of genuine joy and celebration on the faces of grandparents, parents, students, siblings, friends, professors and children. The source of joy was bigger than a degree. The round dance was a multigenerational, communal expression of hope.
The following day, we met with students at the Native American Cultural Center for lunch. The details of their stories were unique, but they all carried a common theme: an appreciation of home, a reverence for community, and a genuine sense of adventure and mission. These students were pioneers. They were courageous visionary explorers — stepping into an unfamiliar environment and persisting toward the prize of hope.
Later, I had the honor of meeting Angelique’s family. Her father, a picture of pride under his cowboy hat, shared with us the story of his ‘little Indian girl’. Through his words, I could hear the JSF theory of change. Angelique’s journey transformed her life and brought hope and inspiration to her family and community.
Angelique inspired the graduates by sharing her commencement address at the graduate ceremony. Authenticity translates. Humility translates. Hope translates. Her message captivated us all. Her reverent acknowledgment of her elders’ investment in her success was evident. So was the weight of stewardship to benefit others.
The challenge was to “use
your
The hope she
recognized resided
in the graduates
— equipped with the
experience and credentials
of a quality education. It was
their time to change the world. She paused, offered her congratulations, and stepped away from the podium. The house came down. The standing ovation reverberated with a roar. The roar of hope.
There is good reason to have hope, even in these challenging times for higher education. According to a recent Georgetown University report, college graduates:
• see 57% more job opportunities than non- graduates.
• have more earning potential.
• have greater networking opportunities. • experience higher job satisfaction.
We also understand that the children of college graduates are more likely to graduate from college themselves. The Pew Research Center has found that among adults ages 22 to 59 whose parents have both finished college, 82% have at least a bachelor’s degree. Among those with at least one parent with a bachelor’s degree, 60% have completed college. Compare this to 20% of their peers whose parents have no education beyond high school.
While these new graduates probably weren’t thinking about these statistics or the benefits of higher ed, they inherently recognized the hope of a brighter future from this milestone.
Following the ceremony, we met outside with the MBA-AIE graduates for pictures and hugs. There’s nothing really quite like hugging people you don’t know and sharing the moment with their families. No one needed to be told to smile for the camera. Hope smiles.
voice”.
Education / A Powerful force for change Page 1