SEMO graduation sets record for most students

The list of students graduating from Southeast Missouri State University was the longest ever. On Saturday, 1,082 students accepted degrees at the Show Me Center, the largest commencement class ever. A year ago, 720 students graduated; the largest recent class was in 2000, when 1,009 gradated.

While the list of students was long, the commencement speeches were not.

"This was not my idea," said keynote speaker Art Wallhausen after being introduced by student regent Leni Fluegge. But when university President Kenneth Dobbins persisted, "well, did you ever try to say 'no' to the person who signs your paycheck? I didn't think so."

Wallhausen retires in late summer, having spent 24 years at Southeast, starting as coordinator of News Services. He had 20 years' experience as a journalist at his hometown, family-owned newspaper, The Enterprise-Courier in Charleston, Mo.

Since 1987, he's been assistant to six university presidents, starting with Bill Stacy, and was named associate to the president in 2000. Dobbins called Wallhausen "a great colleague, but more importantly, a great friend."

The theme of Wallhausen's brief talk, metamorphosis, applied to the students as well as Southeast itself. His first visit to campus was in the 1950s as a high school student. Then, fewer than 60 faculty members were teaching 1,500 students.

"Alumni from the 1930s would have felt right at home," Wallhausen said. Since the 1960s, the Southeast has grown into a university boasting nationally accredited programs, fiber-optic technology and the River Campus. All along, Southeast has transformed students into leaders, he said, by giving them a protected place "that allows students to grow and develop intellectually."

He reminded everyone that fewer than 28 percent of Americans obtain a bachelor's degree and "fewer go onto higher degrees,"

Cattle farmer John Heldermon watched the speech from a hallway at the Show Me Center. He dropped out of college years ago. On Saturday, his son, Paul, 22, was graduating with a bachelor's degree in agriculture.

"I told him to try and find something to make money. I'm just glad it's over," said the elder Heldermon, who retired after a career as a risk manager for the Missouri Farm Association.

Inside the auditorium, people laughed, clapped and cheered as the names of family members or friends were read.

Valerie Blackmon of Sikeston, Mo., had arrived as the ceremony was starting with two of her three daughters and two grandchildren in tow. They came to watch another of her daughters, Chalenna Cassell, accept her master's degree in community counseling. Cassell, who graduated with a 4.0 grade point average, will soon begin doctoral studies in psychology in Atlanta, living with sister Artresha Cassell, a registered nurse.

"With Chalenna's degree and my mom's [in organization and management] and mine in nursing, we've got it covered. We can take care of anybody," Artresha Cassell joked.

Show Me Center employee Ginalei Naper paused in a hallway as the commencement was winding down.

"I've worked a lot of events, but this is my first commencement," she said. "It's huge. I feel like I've run 10 miles today."

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127

Were you there?

Have a comment?

Log on to semissourian.com/today