Graduates from the College of Liberal Arts and the Murrow College of Communication gathered at Beasley Coliseum early on May 9 to participate in Washington State University's 113th spring commencement exercises.
Bob Watt
In a joint ceremony presided over by WSU president Elson Floyd, civic volunteer and philanthropist Bob Watt addressed the nearly 900 graduates in attendance, along with parents, friends, family, faculty, and staff.
Watt, the father of two WSU graduates, enumerated the 13 jobs he had held during his working career. They ranged from Vista volunteer to vice president of government and community relations for the Boeing Company.
"By many measures, I was seldom, if ever, qualified on paper to hold many of those jobs except that my liberal arts education truly enabled me to be genuinely helpful in that wide variety of roles and opportunities," Watt said.
It was a message of hope and opportunity—that anything was possible.
The now-retired Watt recounted experiences and lessons learned along the way.
"Why did I tell you these stories?" Watt asked. "Because now it's your turn, and I want you to know that there are proven, effective ways to make things better. Yes, you will need to be creative and sometimes even to invent things that no one ever imagined before, and that will be fun and hard and rewarding."
Watt encouraged the new graduates to set a goal to improve themselves every day, listen to others, and live with a dedication to service.
"You are leaving Washington State University at a remarkable time in human history," said Watt, "because seldom in recent memory has there been a time when there is so much work to do to make things better and so much opportunity to be part of that work."
Claire Mikalson of Oakesdale, Washington, and Andrew Whitaker of Ellensburg, Washington, were honored during the commencement ceremony as the College of Liberal Arts' highlight students.
These exceptional graduates were selected for their outstanding contributions to WSU and the community through a nomination process and based on letters of recommendation from faculty in the College of Liberal Arts.
Claire Mikalson
Mikalson's scholastic, cocurricular, and service activities are a reflection of her creative skills, dedication to excellence, and commitment to social justice.
In addition to earning a B.A. in English (creative writing) with highest honors and a second major in women's studies, Mikalson has served as the editor of LandEscapes, the English department's literary journal; participated as a student member on the Visual, Performing, and Literary Arts Committee; worked as a research assistant in the Department of Comparative Ethnic Studies; was a public policy volunteer for Planned Parenthood; and acted as an advertising and youth consultant for the League of Women Voters.
"Claire is an outstanding student and human being," said Peter Chilson, associate professor of English and faculty advisor for LandEscapes. "She is a scholar, leader, and writer of the highest quality."
Mikalson also ventured abroad to spend a semester studying in the Czech Republic. While there, she attended an international conference where she met Václav Havel, former president of the Czech Republic and a renowned human rights activist; participated in the School for International Training; was part of a 10-student cohort that studied how the arts community transitioned out of Communism; taught English and collected oral histories at a senior center; and volunteered at the Czech Association for Fair Trade, the only such organization in the country.
Mikalson has plans to attend a publishing institute, volunteer for the Peace Corp, and eventually attend graduate school to pursue an M.F.A. in creative writing.
Andrew Whitaker
Whitaker came to WSU in 2003 as a Regents Scholar to pursue a degree in electrical engineering. He also wanted to learn Chinese.
Embracing both areas of academic interest, Whitaker has graduated with degrees from the College of Engineering and Architecture and the College of Liberal Arts, where he earned a B.A. in foreign languages and cultures.
Following two years of Chinese instruction, Whitaker participated in a year-long intensive Chinese immersion experience at CET Harbin. He wanted to gain fluency and learn the language well enough to discuss technical engineering problems with colleagues around the world.
"Almost everywhere else in the world except America, people can speak at least two languages," said Whitaker. "This is a big problem for us and our future. I thought Chinese would be a good challenge and useful considering China's standing in the world."
This year, Whitaker served as the first resident advisor for WSU's new Chinese House.
Whitaker has been active in other pursuits including Ecowell, an entrepreneurial senior design project that created an environmentally friendly beverage dispenser to reduce plastic bottle waste. He also was treasurer of the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers chapter at WSU, student ambassador for electrical engineering, technology consultant for Student Computing Services, and assisted senior engineers in the design phase of U.S. Army multifunction aiming lasers as an engineering intern at nLight Photonics.
Whitaker plans to continue his education as a graduate student and has been accepted to MIT's technology and public policy program.
The Chronicle, College of Liberal Arts, Washington State University