Home > News

Metro class sets graduation record
1,347 students walked at Spring Commencement
By David Pollan
dpollan@mscd.edu

Photo by Jenn LeBlanc/jkerriga@mscd.edu 2006 Metro graduate Amy Kiel surveys the crowd during the procession at the beginning of graduation ceremonies held May 14 at the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver.

An estimated 1,347 Metro students received their degree on May 14 at the Colorado Convention Center, marking the largest graduating class in the school’s 40-year history.

Metro President Stephen Jordan addressed the record-setting class, congratulating them on their hard work and achievements.

“You, the graduating class, have worked long and hard to reach this day. You’ve faced many challenges and perhaps weathered storms along the way,” Jordan said.

Jordan also said all the graduates will make significant contributions as new leaders within their respective communities.
Psychology major Samantha Kalinowski was given the President’s Award, the highest honor a graduating senior can receive. To be eligible for the award the student must have a minimum 3.75 GPA, superior academic achievements, outstanding service to a department program and two letters of recommendation from either staff members or someone acquainted with the student’s work.

“To stand here as a representative of your knowledge, of your compassion, of your perseverance and ultimately, your success, is truly an honor,” Kalinowski said.

Kalinowski graduated with a 4.0 GPA and has done a significant amount of volunteer and community work. She has volunteered at crime crisis centers, readied necessities for tsunami survivors, assisted elderly victims of crimes, baked for 350-500 people and tutored other students.
Despite objections from some members of the Metro faculty, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton delivered the keynote address. Apart from a few isolated jeers, Norton was greeted with applause.

“The success of a nation is built on the success of individuals,” Norton said. “Through your educational efforts, you’ll become better equipped to help yourselves, your families and your nation succeed and prosper.”

Norton spoke to the graduates about entering a work force that is seeing increasing interconnectedness among growing and emerging economies such as China, and a work force that, because of the Internet, is more competitive than ever before.

“It also raises concerns about American competitiveness,” Norton said. “Whether America is losing its competitiveness, whether too many jobs are being exported overseas, whether other nations will overtake our economy.”

“To be competitive, future U.S. job seekers need more sophisticated skills,” she said.
Norton concluded with a message to graduates, calling on them to boldly enter the workforce to ensure America’s continuing economic viability.

“You are the heroes of our society,” she said.