The black-gowned columns marched under joyful campanile bells and through the strains of Pomp and Circumstance, with bagpipes skirling at the rear. The mingled sounds of undergraduate commencement morning, May 11, were all the more delightful because of one the Class of 2013 didn’t hear – thunder. A storm the night before had rinsed the Carmen Culpeper Chappell Centennial Campanile, Campus Walk, and the commencement stage in Ball Circle. The Eagle Pipe Band had rain gear at the ready, and some degree candidates and family members carried umbrellas to fend off a predicted morning soaking. But when Acting Provost Ian Newbould took the stage to welcome those gathered, he commented on the blue sky. The crowd let loose a cheer. Nothing would dampen this day. President Richard V. Hurley set the tone of the morning, praising graduates for their intelligence, energy, creativity, integrity, and commitment. He suggested that they express appreciation for the family members who … [Read more...]