Susquehanna University will close its 147th academic year with commencement exercises on May 15, 2005. As the university prepares to graduate its largest class in school history, SU Today takes a look back at some graduation days gone by.

We start by presenting a few images and some fast facts from the commencement exercises of two reunion years: 1980 and 1955. Warmest wishes to members of those silver and gold anniversary classes.

Thanks to everyone in the online community who answered the call for graduation recollections in the February e-newsletter.

1980 commencement exercises on Seibert Green.	The Class of 1955's Carlene Schock and Walt Albert. Carlene writes that she and Walt "were class officers and were asked to pose on the steps of Seibert Hall for a shot to be used on the cover of the Susquehanna Crusader."
Class Size: 318 Speaker: Georgia L. McMurray, M.S.S; Deputy General Director for Program, Community Service Society, New York City Presiding University President: Jonathan C. Messerli	Class Size: 74 Speaker: Donald L. Hellferich, I.L.D, Vice President of Ursinus College Presiding University President: G. Morris Smith

Our graduation was held in the chapel in Seibert Hall. The weather was beautiful. The eight-member Chapel Choir sang. I can't remember all of them but Jane Southwick and I were the sopranos. Altos I believe were Doris Wanbaugh Getz and Mary Ann Getsinger Homan. I can't remember the men but I remember Roy Stahl accompanied us. Allan Flock was probably one of the originals. We were the first Chapel Choir organized between 1945 and 1949. We were the war class. Men started coming home in 1946 and veterans came to college on the GI Bill.

-- Maude Jones '49 Koch

After 38 years the memory part of my mind has deteriorated, but I do remember that our class was the first class to graduate in the new chapel.

In the winter of my senior year I remember many students gathering in front of Heilman Hall to watch a helicopter place the steeple on the chapel. It was an exciting event. Gov. Ray Shaffer spoke by candlelight at the graduation as we all sat in total darkness due to a massive power blackout.

-- Carole Sloan '67 Pursell P'94

I graduated in 1969, and I remember one young co-ed who marched up to receive her diploma with flip-flops on her feet! She always wore them, so she didn't change her shoes for the occasion. I heard later that she became a psychiatrist! I wonder whether she still wears those flip-flops when seeing patients?

-- Kathy Bressler '69

What I remember about our graduation was that the weather was perfect for the Baccalaureate service, which was held inside the chapel. However, by the time we were lining up for graduation, the dark clouds were rolling in. A decision was made to hand out the diplomas first before the rain hit. We all received our diplomas and the speaker, who I believe was from England, only was able to get two sentences in before the thunderstorm and down pour hit. We all ran for cover. Most of us were soaked. I was wearing a white dress underneath the maroon graduation gown and my dress turned pink from being drenched.

It was the shortest graduation I can remember.

-- Mary Wolf '84 Hartman

Our ceremonies were held on the lawn between the classrooms and Smith. I remember on that day, we prayed for the rain to hold off. It did through most of the class receiving their diplomas, but as we got to the end, (you can clearly see rain drops on my commencement robe) it started as a drizzle and by the end it was a downpour. Needless to say, our speaker did speak in Weber Chapel, but for most of us, we headed to celebrate.

-- Linda Rhoades-Swartz '84

That day was a day I will never forget because it was a great day but a nervous day because I was leaving a great university, where I had been for four years and all my good friends.

Many of my friends, still today, were in attendance that day as well. It was on the lawn in front of Seibert Hall, where I had lived my freshman year. I got the best grades my freshman year living in there because it was so quiet and was like living in a library. I had a bathroom in my room and free cable TV and a new desk and bed and it was something special. I felt like I was living in a Marriott.

The day was rainy, but it did not bother me one bit. I was so excited to graduate and take this big bad world by storm and it did not dampen my day at all. My parents and brothers and sisters were there and I was the star for the day. My father passed away a couple of years later, but I was glad he was there to see such a special day.

-- Dave White '90

I remember our graduation speaker telling us that it was the people at the bottom of the class who would make the most money.

-- Colleen Young '99 Affrime

It poured down rain all day! There were 80 in the graduation class. Ceremonies were held in Seibert Hall. Roger Blough, President of U.S. Steel Corporation, was our speaker. Mr. Blough was a graduate of Susquehanna University.

I had received my draft notice back in October 1952. I was working on a summer job in the Merchant Marine. Planned to go to Germany and return for September classes at S.U. where I would be a senior.

Unfortunately I was in Pusan, Korea, working as a wiper on a Liberty Ship and was unable to get back into college. I was instructed to report to the nearest M.P. Post in Pusan for immediate induction into the Army. I had lost my College deferment. My father promised I would be back in College in January 1953. Fortunately I was back at SU in January.

At graduation I was given a blank diploma and reported to summer school where I finished up in July 1953. After infantry basic training, I was selected to be a member of the Honor Guard in Washington, D.C., serving for Dwight Eisenhower.

-- Harmon Andrews '53

Perhaps our most vivid memory of our graduation day was standing when the name William Rose was called and the bell was tolled. He was a very good friend who had unexpectedly passed away two days before graduation.

-- Karla Pahl '72 and Ron '72 Pagano

... At commencement itself, I remember Richard Gordon Kleindienst was our speaker. He had just resigned as attorney general for Nixon and had just been indicted for Watergate activities. Regrettably I do not remember much of his speech but I do remember being impressed we had a former attorney general as our speaker.

Finally, the high point was being announced as a cum laude with a B.A. degree in Physics. I also remember thinking Linda Fox Holler got a 4.0 in Biology. We had a great class. Lots of different personalities from all over.

-- Dennis Mosebey '73

Our ceremonies were held on the lawn between the classrooms and Smith. I remember on that day, we prayed for the rain to hold off. It did through most of the class receiving their diplomas, but as we got to the end, (you can clearly see rain drops on my commencement robe) it started as a drizzle and by the end it was a downpour. Needless to say, our speaker did speak in Weber Chapel, but for most of us, we headed to celebrate.

-- Linda Rhoades-Swartz '84

My four years as a student at Susquehanna were full of many happy memories. Simple things like a friendly small campus atmosphere and the town of Selinsgrove itself. Plenty of things to do around the campus -- football and basketball games, intramural activities, and many more.

There were a number of outstanding professors that bring back fond remembrances: Neil Potter, Gene Urey, and Murray Hunt -- they'll all be missed. Coaches such as Don Harnum and Frank Marcinek bring happy things to mind. I had the pleasure of being manager for the men's basketball team one year under Coach Harnum. Even though I was just the manager, he always treated me with respect, which was something that meant a lot to me. Coach Marcinek turned out to be a fine coach and person as well. When I come back to watch a game, he'd always greet me wit a smile and a hello. I remember the players like Jack Esworthy, Scott Gable, Larry Walsh, Andy Reilly, and Craig Howie, and how no matter how the game went, the bus ride back from an away game was always a "fun experience."

Susquehanna also taught me a lot about life. I still remember something Dr. Urey told me one day while I was asking him why I didn't get a better grade on a term paper. When he asked me if I had worked as hard as I could on the term paper to deserve the "A" I was talking to him about and I said, "Well, honestly, not really." He said, "People who get the most out of life are the ones who put the most time in on it and work the hardest at it. To get what you really want you sometimes you have to put in a little more than everyone else." I will always remember that statement. Years later, I finally realized what he was getting at.

-- Barry Emas '85

My "graduation memory" isn't so much a memory as it is a graduation coincidence. Let me explain.

I graduated in 1995. It was a beautiful sunny day and I distinctly remember our invited speakers -- journalists Judy Woodruff and Al Hunt. They gave interesting speeches and everyone seemed to enjoy them. I graduated, packed my stuff and a few weeks later I headed to Washington, D.C., in search of a job.

I found a great job working in the legislative office of a major transportation-related association. After about two years of working there, I got the itch to search for something new and different. I lined up several interviews, including a position as an executive media assistant. I had no idea who I was going to be interviewing with until I arrived. It turns out I was going to interview with Al Hunt. At the time, he was a columnist for the Washington Post and a regular commentator on CNN. Boy! Was I nervous!

When I walked in to his office and introduced myself I looked around his office and saw a photo of him and Judy Woodruff in front of Selinsgrove Hall at the conclusion of commencement. Naturally, this coincidence was the first part of my conversation with Mr. Hunt. He and I had a wonderful interview, but even at the end, we both realized that he was certainly looking for someone with more direct media experience. Even though the job didn't pan out, it was certainly interesting to personally interact with one of the speakers at my graduation.

I ended up getting a promotion a few months after I began interviewing anyway, so things ended up working out for me after all. After almost ten years in Washington, D.C., it doesn't take one very long to realize that this is really a small town. So, you never know if certain paths will cross again.

That's my graduation "memory" coincidence!

-- Leigh Smythe '95 Merino

I graduated from Susquehanna University on May 13, 2001. It was a beautiful Spring day. It wasn't too hot and it wasn't too cold. The graduation ceremony was held on Seibert Lawn. The pictures from the ceremony came out so nice because of all the trees in the background.& I have many pictures as well from that graduation day. I have formed many great friendships from my years at SU.

-- Dawn Catron '01