Squawk

The 155th Spring Undergraduate Commencement ceremony took place May 21, 2023. For this issue's edition of Squawk we asked alumni what they remember most about their graduation day.

Squawk: What Will You Always Remember About Your Graduation Day?

Lehigh alumni recall graduation day.

Squawk is a new feature in the Lehigh Alumni Bulletin that captures your online posts and reflections in response to questions or fill-in-the-blank statements posted on Lehigh's Alumni Facebook Page and our other social media channels.

Before publication of each issue, we'll seek your comments on a new post about life at Lehigh–or seek your advice for new graduates or incoming students.

This time we asked what you will always remember about your graduation day.

Here are some of your responses:

"The relief felt after checking the program to make sure my name was actually in it. 100% true."
--Brian Hetsko '01

"How incredibly sad and happy I was all on the same day! End of a fabulous life experience, on to many more."
--Mary Ellen Villegas Rudel '86

"Maya Angelou Singing."
--Kimberly Murphy '05

"That I cried the entire way home after it was over. I was so sad to leave my Lehigh friends, but 33 years later I am happy to say they are still a part of my life."
--Sandra Longo Durante '90

"My hangover."
--Michael York '94

"My parents wearing fake glasses with noses and mustaches in Stabler Arena so I could find them in the crowd."
--Sarah Hayward Lynch '89

"We had Montel Williams yelling, 'Mountain, get out of my way.'"
--Kathy Blair '00

"My grandmother being there all the way from Barbados. A college education wasn't a life opportunity presented to her."
--Jonathan Martindale '01

"The air conditioning in Stabler was not finished and it was hot, hot, hot on June 1, 1980!"
--Ruth Kossin Queen '80

You can read the rest of the posts on Facebook or comment here.

Related Stories

Katie Gregory ’15 and Ashley Kreitz ’15 share a hug while working on restoring a home in Barnardsville, North Carolina that was damaged by Hurricane Helene.

Lehigh Alumni Aid in Hurricane Helene Relief Efforts in North Carolina

Ashley Kreitz ’15 has raised nearly $10,000 and recruited fellow alumni to help restore damaged homes in North Carolina.

ESC Winner

Lehigh Alum Receives Excellence in Student Community Engagement Award

Sofia Espinoza ’24 was an inaugural member of Lehigh’s Global Social Impact Fellowship project, “AI Strengthening Healthcare Access.”

Chris Zadra

Saving the Planet One Whale at a Time: View Photos from Alumnus Chris Zadra's Research

Chris Zadra'16 '17G uses a drone called SnotBot® to capture whale blow for biological analysis.