Office of the Chancellor

Chancellor Ron Elsenbaumer’s 2024 Commencement Address

May 8, 2024

Good afternoon, everyone.

We will open the 2024 Commencement Ceremony of Purdue University Fort Wayne with the National Anthem, performed by Madison Kindler, who is graduating today with a Bachelor of Music Education from the College of Visual and Performing Arts. She is accompanied by the Purdue Fort Wayne Symphonic Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Daniel Tembras, associate professor of music and director of instrumental studies.

---

Distinguished guests, families and friends, members of the faculty, and especially our graduating students, welcome to the 56th commencement ceremony of Purdue University Fort Wayne. We are delighted to be together with you today.

It is my pleasure to introduce the members of our platform party who are joining us.

I ask them to stand and remain standing as they are able as I call their names.

Dr. Carl Drummond, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

Dr. Krissy Surface, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management and the Student Experience.

Jerry Lewis, Vice Chancellor for Communications and Marketing.

Glen Nakata, Vice Chancellor for Financial and Administrative Affairs.

Dr. MarTeze Hammonds, Chief Diversity Officer.

Kimberly Grannan, Chief of Staff and Community Relations Officer.

Dr. John Gipson, Chief of Staff and Assistant Vice Provost for Academic Operations for the Office of the Provost at the campus of Purdue University in West Lafayette.

Hezekiah Russell, Associate Commercial Banker at First Merchants Bank and Co-owner of Sweets on Main here in Fort Wayne. Representing the Mastodon Alumni Community, he is an alumnus of the Richard T. Doermer School of Business, Class of 2022.

Dr. Nodir Adilov, Dean of the Richard T. Doermer School of Business.

Dr. Janet Badia, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts.

Dr. Sherif Elfayoumy, Steel Dynamics Dean of the College of Engineering, Technology, and Computer Science.

Dr. Ronald Friedman, Dean of the College of Science.

Dr. Isabel Nunez, Dean of the School of Education.

John O’Connell, Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

Chris Huang, Associate Vice Chancellor and Registrar.

And Dr. Frank Paladino, Jack W. Schrey Professor of Biology, and our distinguished Grand Marshal for today’s ceremony.

Colleagues and friends, we appreciate your participation.

Graduates — it is my honor to stand before you — and to present you as the Class of 2024.

It has been a long road to get to this day! Many of you started here as freshmen in the fall of 2020 — amid the daunting challenges and uncertainty of a global pandemic.

We are keenly aware that the disruptions caused by the pandemic the last few years have presented enormous challenges as all of you have pursued your studies and your aspirations.

I know I join your families and friends in recognizing you for doing what Mastodons do. You doubled down. You worked hard. You stuck it out. And here you are! Right where you belong — graduating from Purdue University Fort Wayne!

We are overjoyed to share in your amazing accomplishments and celebration today.

In addition to the thousands of guests gathered here in this room today, I’d like to extend greetings and a warm welcome to the more than 1,000 people in 30 countries around the world who are streaming the event online right now. Graduates, please wave and say Thank You to your loved ones who couldn’t be here in person today.

As I look out at our graduates here today — and there are so many of you — I feel tremendous pride and hope. Hope for your success. Hope for your future. Hope for your good health. And hope for your happiness.

This journey has brought you to a pivotal moment in your lives. Whatever comes next, you should be truly proud of all that you have learned and all that you have accomplished during your time here at Purdue Fort Wayne.

To the families and friends of our graduates: I can only imagine the enormous sense of pride you are experiencing today. And, as a father myself, I’m guessing probably a little bit of relief, as well!

Graduates, I think your families and friends deserve a really big thank-you. Please stand as you are able and join me in showing our appreciation by giving them a huge round of applause.

To the members of our faculty, staff, and administration: Thank you for the unwavering dedication you have shown to the education, success, and well-being of our students. You are the heart and soul of our university — and you have been there for our students when they needed you most. Thank you so much.

As a matter of fact, three of our faculty members here today were present at the university’s very first commencement back in 1968. They now join us 55 commencements later. When I call your names, would you please stand:

Linda Balthaser, Assistant Dean Emerita of what was then the School of Arts and Sciences.

Dr. Lowell Beineke, retired Jack W. Schrey Professor of Mathematics.

And Dr. Art Friedel, retired Professor of Chemistry, and a life-long supporter of Purdue Fort Wayne.

Let’s give all of our faculty, staff, and administrators a well-deserved round of applause.

Graduates, we hope that you have enjoyed your time here at Purdue Fort Wayne, and we trust that you feel confident in the outstanding education that you have received here.

We want to assure you that the Purdue degree you receive today will only increase in value and prestige. Our university — your university — is an institution on the move, and we look forward to sharing our future successes together.

The horizon for Purdue Fort Wayne indeed looks bright, and the campus will soon be abuzz with new construction.

This fall, we will begin construction on a Music Technology Building right in the center of campus. This beautiful, high-tech facility will consolidate several of our music programs under one roof and we look forward to having it open in fall 2026.

Many of you have had the incredible experience of living in our student housing. With more and more students eager to live on campus, demand for student housing has been extremely high the past few years.

Because of this enthusiasm — and input from our students — the university is actively engaged in collaborative efforts to introduce in the coming weeks an exciting new chapter for on-campus student housing. Stay tuned.

While it’s true that many of our initiatives are crafted with an eye to future student success, much of what we envision for tomorrow would not be possible without the vital support of individuals and entities who validate in different ways what our students and alumni are achieving right now.

Regardless of the field of study and degree earned, what those of you gathered here today have achieved — especially in the eyes of your future employers — places you among the best-prepared graduates entering the workforce, not just in Indiana, but around the world.

As our friends and benefactors invest in this cycle of success, we too remain committed to our university’s growing reputation for accomplishing bigger and better things.

All of this effort ensures that Purdue Fort Wayne will continue to graduate more and more highly qualified students, just like all of you, who will be launched into exciting and fulfilling careers.

And now it’s time for the moment you’ve all been waiting for. At this time, we will confer degrees. Will the candidates please rise and remain standing as you are able.

Exercising the authority of the Trustees of Purdue University, legally vested by the people of the State of Indiana, and upon the recommendation of the faculty, I now confer upon each of you who have fulfilled the stated requirements, the indicated degree with all the rights, privileges, duties, and responsibilities of that degree.

As evidence of this achievement, you will receive an appropriately inscribed diploma.

Congratulations to each of you!

Graduates of Purdue University Fort Wayne, I extend our best wishes.

Wherever your lives and your careers may take you, it is our sincere hope and expectation that you will keep in touch always and visit campus every chance you get. You will always find a warm welcome here.

We will now introduce our graduates. As people are taking their places, I want to give everyone a heads up that, at the end of our ceremony today, there will be some loud noises and bright, flashing lights. We just wanted you to be sure you’re aware.

---

Congratulations, graduates! Could you all please stand as you are able.

It is now time for you to observe the tradition of moving your tassel from the right side of the mortarboard to the left — signifying your new status as alumni of Purdue University Fort Wayne.

Congratulations! You may be seated.

I am now pleased to welcome our special guest, Hezekiah Russell, who has a special message for our newest alumni.

---

Thank you, Hezekiah. And congratulations, again, graduates! We’re all so proud of you.

Will everyone please stand as you are able. And please be aware that there will soon be some loud noises and flashing lights.

Before we begin the recessional, I want to invite everyone to please follow all of us just down the hall to the Conference Center, where we’re throwing a huge after-party to celebrate the Class of 2024 in grand style.

Let the party begin! Let’s GO DONS!