Southeast commencement marks cooperative effort among colleges

This year, for the first time in Southeast Missouri State University history, graduates were able to receive their associate degrees from their respective two-year colleges in addition to their bachelor's degrees at Southeast.

Southeast president Kenneth W. Dobbins was joined on stage Saturday afternoon by Steven J. Kurtz, president of Mineral Area College, and Wesley Payne, president of Three Rivers College, to present diplomas to the new graduates.

When Dobbins explained the Missouri Reverse Transfer Initiative Degree program, he said all public universities now are permitted to transfer credits equally between two- and four-year institutions.

Since 2010, Southeast has cooperated with Three Rivers College on transferring credits, making their partnership one of the first of its kind in Missouri, Dobbins said.

On Saturday, 12 students were recognized for the opportunity to attend Southeast's first dual commencement, with two of those students attending the ceremony.

Southeast Missouri State University president Dr. Ken Dobbins presents the winter commencement address Saturday at the Show Me Center. (Fred Lynch)

Dawn Ozark specifically was recognized for receiving her associate of art degree from Mineral Area College and her bachelor's degree in human environmental sciences.

Including Ozark, 680 students joined the ranks of Southeast alumni. The commencement ceremony recognized 549 undergraduates and 131 master's and specialist candidates. At an honors ceremony Saturday morning, the university recognized 160 undergraduates.

Kenneth Stilson, chairman of Southeast's Department of Theatre and Dance, was honored with this year's Provost's Research, Instruction and Development for Excellence Award and served as grand marshal at the ceremony.

Dobbins, with his wife, Jeanine, presented the commencement address for his second-to-last graduation as president of Southeast.

Kenneth Dobbins is entering his last semester as the 17th president of Southeast, and his wife is founder and director emeritus of the Missouri Statewide Early Literacy Intervention Program based at Southeast.

Jeanine Larson Dobbins presents her part of the commencement address before its completion Saturday by her husband, Southeast Missouri State University president Dr. Ken Dobbins, at the Show Me Center. (Fred Lynch)

Jeanine Dobbins approached the podium first, introducing herself as "the warm-up act," and began giving "words of advice and hopefully a little bit of wisdom."

"Look at you, look at you," she cooed to the graduates sitting in rows before her. "This is something I say to our grandsons and my friends whenever they do something wonderful that they have never done before."

Jeanine Dobbins quoted figures such as Gandhi, Frederick Douglass and Colin Powell throughout her speech, and she assigned a warning and homework to her audience before taking her seat.

"[A degree] doesn't guarantee success, but it opens doors that may have otherwise remained closed," she said.

She also advised the newest alumni to continue learning in their lives and to appreciate and thank those who assisted the graduates in getting where they are today.

Dr. Kenneth L. Stilson, left, receives the PRIDE Award from Dr. Bill Eddleman, provost at Southeast Missouri State University, during winter commencement Saturday at the Show Me Center. (Fred Lynch)

Kenneth Dobbins' portion of the commencement address was more subdued.

"Freshman convocations and commencements are two aspects that bring great joy to a president's life," he said.

Dobbins said for those who began their journeys at Southeast four to five years ago, he welcomed them at their freshman convocation and said they were about to undergo a metamorphosis that would make a profound change on them throughout their time at the university.

Now, at graduation, he said he hoped that metamorphosis will continue and they would continue to grow as they were launched into the next stage of their lives.

Nursing student Anna Essner said growing with her fellow students is one of her favorite memories of her time at Southeast.

"[One of my favorite memories] with the nursing program was just getting to know my classmates and persevering through the program together -- through the ups and downs and the family that we formed through that," she said.

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