ADA — It was the culmination of countless hours of classes, late night study sessions, and coffee runs as students from Ohio Northern and Bluffton universities ended their undergraduate studies, walking across their respective stages to receive their degrees.
Held at the university field house, Ohio Northern’s 145th commencement ceremony featured 406 graduates from the university’s arts and science, engineering, and business colleges, with 151 pharmacy students having received their degrees at a separate ceremony earlier in the day.
Mechanical engineering graduate Jason Luthman, who is planning on taking a job at Marathon Petroleum Corp. in Findlay, spoke on behalf of the graduates, thanking family and friends for their support throughout his postsecondary education and also expressing gratitude for the new family he made while in Ada.
“My family circle is now much broader,” he said. “Because of the decision I made in high school, I now have all of you as my Polar Bear family.”
Serving as the keynote speaker for ONU’s commencement was David Greene, co-host of National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition,” with previous stints as a correspondent in Russia, Libya and at the White House, reporting there during President George W. Bush’s second term. Greene said his personal connection to the university, with his wife, Rose Previte, graduating from the university in 2003 and his father-in-law, Peter Previte, having retired from teaching pharmaceutical law at ONU.
“As soon as I came to Ada, I felt such a sense of familiarity and happiness and just embraced it here, because it’s just such a special community and campus,” he said.
Greene, who received an honorary doctorate during the commencement, called on graduates to never forget the importance of listening and personal interaction, especially in the age of smartphones.
“All I ask all the graduates is that as you move on to whatever is next, whatever you decide to do, realize that it’s a listening opportunity,” he said. “Each day, think about the fact that someone, somewhere might be able to give you some piece of advice. Ask that person a question or two. Put the phone away, don’t text anyone, and make the effort to listen.”
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