Congratulations to the class of 2022

This weekend Southeast Missouri State University will host its spring commencement ceremonies.

Among those walking are 1,063 undergraduates, 304 master's students and 24 specialist candidates.

SEMO will hold a ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday for the Harrison College of Business and Computing, College of Humanities and Social Sciences and Holland College of Arts and Media. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Shane Mizicko, professor of music in the Department of Music.

At 2 p.m., a ceremony will be held for the College of Education, Health and Human Studies and College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Michael Taylor, professor of biology in the Department of Biology.

Along with the university's commencement, area high schools will be holding their own ceremonies in the coming days.

To all the upcoming high school and college graduates, we offer our congratulations and best wishes for the future.

This is a significant milestone. Many are young people, embarking on the next phase of life. Some will enter the workforce, and others will seek further education. For others, earning a degree has taken a more circuitous route. Regardless of the path to commencement, this is an accomplishment worth celebrating.

We often use this space during commencement time to offer a word of advice and encouragement. As you reflect in the coming days, thank those who helped make this accomplishment possible. Consider the challenges you faced over the last four years (or more) and how you overcame them to achieve a degree. Use that as motivation to persevere when you face challenges in the future.

Never stop learning. Commencements are not the end of learning. Make learning a lifelong endeavor. Read good books. Listen to podcasts. Read your local newspaper and industry periodicals.

Finally, place a premium on character. It matters. Don't let money or things take priority over doing what is right. We find great strength in prayer. Keep good company, and in turn be a good friend to those around you.

Again, congratulations to the class of 2022. We wish you all of God's blessings in the next phase of life.