A few words of wisdom for the class of 2021

Graduation season has begun in Southeast Missouri with many students — high school and college — set to walk across the platform this weekend.

Chaffee High School held its ceremony Thursday evening. Notre Dame, Saxony Lutheran and Scott City are all scheduled for Sunday. Jackson will hold its commencement May 21, with Cape Central set for May 23.

Southeast Missouri State University will host five commencement ceremonies this weekend over two days, a result of COVID-19 precautions designed to allow for more social distancing. With all the ceremonies Friday and Saturday, Southeast will graduate 1,446 students.

Each year, graduation is a major event marking four years of hard work, sacrifice and determination. But this year there’s another component: COVID-19. While we’ve started to take in-person learning for granted this school year as most area institutions welcomed students back to class in the fall, that’s unfortunately not the case in many areas of the country. Credit to the schools, students and parents for making in-person learning possible in our schools with only minimal disruptions. We know it wasn’t easy. That’s a credit to each of you who played a role.

Now for a few words of wisdom we hope you’ll consider as you take the next step in your education or professional career:

Commencement is not the end of your learning experience. Always be curious. Learn new things. Seek collaboration. Challenge yourself with challenging yet achievable goals. Never stop reading good books — for pleasure and for professional growth. Find a mentor to help you grow, and consider being one to others. Get involved in your community, go to a local church, and give back not only monetarily but with your time and energy. Don’t sacrifice character for personal wealth. Your good name is worth far more than any amount of money. And always thank those who helped you along the way.

Congratulations to the class of 2021. We wish you all of God’s blessings in the next chapter of your lives.