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Delta State Celebrates Fall Commencement, 342 Graduates Collect Degrees

By December 12, 2009General

 

Lisa Sandifer, instructor of accountancy and S.E. Kossman Outstanding Faculty Award winner, delivers the keynote address during fall commencement at Delta State University

 

 

 

Delta State University celebrated its 83rd Commencement on campus Saturday, December 12, 2009, inside Walter Sillers Coliseum. Friends and family, along with Delta State faculty and staff, gathered to honor the accomplishments of 342 graduates.
On the day, one doctoral degree and 14 educational specialist degrees were conferred, while 133 master’s degrees and 194 bachelor’s degrees were awarded through the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the College of Education and the School of Nursing.
 
Delta State President, Dr. John M. Hilpert, opened the morning service.
 
“Each of today’s graduates has reached a milestone, and we are here to recognize their achievements,” said Hilpert. “On behalf of the faculty and staff, I extend congratulations to all graduates.”
 
As has been the long-standing practice, the winner of the S.E. Kossman Outstanding Faculty Award delivers the fall commencement keynote address. The 27th recipient of the honor, Lisa Sandifer, an instructor in accountancy, offered wisdom and advice to the graduating class in her address — “Lessons I Learned from ‘The Blind Side’.” “The Blind Side” is a book written by Michael Lewis and is now a popular movie of the same name.
 
Sandifer spoke about the powerful message provided by the book and movie. The keynote focused on three points:  be generous, be all you can be, and be thankful.
 
“We can be generous with our hearts, our talents, our time and our financial resources,” said Sandifer. “Be generous with your heart.  There will be people in your life that will need a person to lean on…be that person.  Open your heart to help others.”
 
While encouraging graduates to meet their full potential by “being all you can be” Sandifer told the story of former Delta State swimmer Jennifer Artichuk and her efforts balancing a rigorous training schedule while maintaining academic excellence.
 
“Practicing from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., going to classes, then going back to practice from 3 p.m. to 5p.m. – that, my friends, is hard work,” said Sandifer. “Jennifer served as an officer in the accounting organization here at Delta State and served as an officer on the Dean’s student business advisory council.  Because of her excellence in athletics, academics and service and leadership, she was selected in 2007 as one of nine women NCAA student athletes of the year. That is being all you can be.”
 
Before closing with a poem by Danielle Hollister entitled “I Believe…” Sandifer encouraged the graduates to be thankful. 
 
“We have so many things to be thankful for.  Be thankful for your education.  Be thankful for your friends, family and mentors here at Delta State,” said Sandifer. “Keep your teachers posted on where you are and what you are doing.  They care!  Nothing makes me happier than to hear from a student.  All of my students become my family and I am thankful for that.”