Meet the Class of 2017
Among the graduates who will walk across the stage in Saturday鈥檚 commencement ceremony, there are countless stories, dreams and motivations. Here are just a few:
Bridgette Sappington
Nursing school, overnight clinical shifts, and pitching for a nationally ranked softball team is a lot for a college to-do list, but it鈥檚 something that Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduate Bridgette Sappington said was why she came to 射精视频 鈥斅爋nly a handful of schools would allow her to follow both passions.
It was聽not always easy to balance the two 鈥攑ractice on weekday afternoons and games on weekends mean Sappington often took overnight clinical shifts. Some days, she would leave work at 8 a.m. and report to the field in time for a 2 p.m. start. But one of those outings, on March 31, resulted in a program first 鈥 a perfect game against Maryville University 鈥 though she said she didn鈥檛 necessarily feel dialed in.
鈥淗onestly, I was just trying not to hit anyone,鈥 Sappington said.
She was backed up behind the plate by her battery-mate, roommate and nursing program peer, Lexie Zuniga. In addition to her teammates, Sappington said children 鈥 who she sees both as part of her education and in her future position in the pediatrics wings at Overland Park Regional hospital 鈥斅燼lso inspire her.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e really incredible,鈥 she said. 鈥淣o matter how much they鈥檙e going through, they still find a way to make you smile.鈥
Sarah Czirr
You could call her a rebel. Sarah Czirr has learned many important lessons during her experience at Rockhurst. Among them the appeal of dancing to the beat of one鈥檚 own drummer.
鈥淚 realized that I needed fulfillment by going my own path,鈥 she said.
At Rockhurst, Czirr has served as an orientation leader, a volunteer with Literacy KC, took part in a 10-week summer internship at a Jesuit school in rural Uganda and helped organizations around the city as part of Google鈥檚 Community Leaders program.
After graduating with聽a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree with a marketing emphasis, Czirr is planning another adventure 鈥 a solo motorcycle trip through the American West. She said the trip is a rare chance to hit pause and take a step back before the start of her post-collegiate life.
鈥淚 had many job opportunities, but I need time for reflection and enjoyment before I get into the real world,鈥 she said.
But Czirr can never be accused of sitting still. After that trip, Sarah will travel to Africa to build houses for those in need, an opportunity she said she came up through her internship in Uganda.聽
Michael Lydon-Lorson
Michael Lydon-Lorson was looking for a college where he could continue using his skills as a pitcher. But he admitted it wasn鈥檛 the only criteria.
Lydon-Lorson was also looking for a place where he could belong and explore some new opportunities. And from serving as an orientation leader to a member of Voices for Justice social justice group, the political science and Spanish major has taken advantage of those opportunities.
鈥淩ockhurst was kind of the perfect mix of things for me,鈥 he said.
Those activities聽have even converged in incredible ways 鈥 during a service immersion trip his junior year to Nicaragua, his group met Brian Dozier, All-Star second-baseman for the Minnesota Twins. He said the group played a pickup baseball game with the people of the town.
In August, Lydon-Lorson will begin an assignment with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, working to provide legal assistance to immigrants as part of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely a time when the need is great, not just on the number of people who need that assistance but the intention side of it, too,鈥 he said.
Taylor Jackson
When she was young, Taylor Jackson would put Band-Aids on her pets. The soon-to-be biology graduate wanted to help them.
Like the Band-Aids, the urge to help animals stuck. This week Jackson takes the next step in the long process of becoming a veterinarian, one of four pre-veterinary track seniors from Rockhurst this year who were accepted to veterinary school.
Jackson will start in the fall at the University of Missouri-Columbia. And while her major never changed at Rockhurst, she said she has throughout her time at Rockhurst. A member of Beta Beta Beta biology honors society, one-time orientation leader and a former member of the University鈥檚 cheer squad, she said college taught her foremost how to balance numerous activities and responsibilities.
But it was also through her education, and a shadowing experience at Spay and Neuter Kansas City, that she realized the kind of impact that veterinarians can have on communities, and pointed toward a potential future path providing veterinary services for communities in need.
鈥淚 saw a lot of people as who could not afford care for their pets I shadowed veterinarians聽,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 think there is a lot of need in these communities.鈥
础濒颈听尝补谤诲
Compared to other programs, visual art is a relatively small community on the Rockhurst campus, said psychology major and fine arts minor Ali Lard.
However, that sort of environment has made all the difference for her 鈥 that small group of art-focused students makes for a supportive community, something that she said has really helped her own art interest and process develop.
鈥淚 grew up with a crafty family, but I didn鈥檛 realize how much I liked art until I got here,鈥 she said.
As part of her process, Lard uses bits from watercolor and other mediums to create large-scale collages in the shape of animals, inspired by the juxtaposition of colorful animals who are also poisonous.
In July, Lard will travel to Colorado for an intensive workshop on the Anderson Ranch Arts Center, the recipient of one of two scholarships nationally from the Francis Family Foundation. The experience will not only deepen her technique and appreciation of other mediums like ceramics, but help her continue to get out of her comfort zone.
鈥淚鈥檓 a planner,鈥 she said. 鈥淪o I鈥檓 going out on a limb to do this. But I love how meditative the process is. By being able to create my art, I鈥檓 able to discover myself in a new way.鈥
Aleeyah Thompson
Even Aleeyah Thompson admits that the story she is about to tell might sound clich茅.
Thompson balances being a leader in the University鈥檚 Black Student Union, volunteer choreographer and coach for an Olathe-based youth cheerleading squad, leader in the Y Talks program for young girls at a local YMCA, and holds down multiple jobs. But she was going through a difficult time when Bill Kriege, associate director of campus ministry, approached her in the hall to encourage her to sign up for a service immersion trip. Initially skeptical, she finally signed up for a trip to Jamaica. It was a turning point, especially when the priest delivered two separate homilies that week that touched on the issues on her heart.
鈥淚 was like, something is speaking to me here. Sunlight was coming through the church windows,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t was one of those TV moments that you鈥檙e like that doesn鈥檛 happen in real life. It completely happened in real life.鈥
She came away with insights about herself and about what she wants to eventually do with her talents in occupational therapy 鈥斅爌rovide the services that are so badly needed in places like Jamaica. And as she moves on to a master's聽degree in Rockhurst's competitive OT program, Thompson said that dream is what continues to motivate her.
Decho Valev
Adjusting to college for Decho Valev was more than just figuring out how to live on his own.
As a native of Bulgaria who had come to America for his senior year in high school after trying to jumpstart a career as a professional tennis player, the finance/accounting major said he also had to adjust to the differences between college in his home and here.
鈥淚n Bulgarian universities, there are no college sports, fraternities or sororities, student senate, honors society and many other aspects are missing,鈥 he said. 鈥淗aving a full college experience and understanding what people mean and associate that with when they talked about all these activities, that was a big challenge.鈥
Valev fit right in 鈥 he was a member of Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity, the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, economics club, Honors Society, IClub and a tutor at the Aylward-Dunn Learning Center, all while also playing tennis for the Hawks.
He鈥檚 off next to New York City, where he鈥檒l have both an accounting internship to start his career and a job as a coach at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, all while studying for the CPA exam.
Shelby Johnson
Graduating from college is a big step for Shelby Johnson in more ways than perhaps the average Rockhurst student.
A native of Kansas City, Johnson is the first in her family to graduate from college, making Saturday鈥檚 commencement ceremony a milestone for her and her parents, who pushed her to pursue higher education.
鈥淚 saw them struggle as I was growing up,鈥 she said. 鈥淎nd I wanted to do something that they weren鈥檛 able to do to make them proud.鈥
There is an added importance 鈥 Johnson said her father was diagnosed this year with stage-four cancer, and that him being able to see her walk across the stage was a crucial goal.
It wasn鈥檛 easy 鈥 Johnson worked full-time as she earned her undergraduate degrees in communication sciences and disorders and psychology 鈥 but found that the smaller campus and availability of resources made Rockhurst a perfect fit.
With her degree in hand, Johnson said she will start a position at Kansas City鈥檚 Milestone Academy, helping provide therapy for skills that many take for granted.
鈥淪peaking is a big part of everyone鈥檚 life, and when you lose that ability, that鈥檚 a big deal,鈥 she said.