Class of 2018 collects their degrees

The Cornell College community said goodbye to 216 seniors on Sunday, May 13, during Commencement.

After years of studying and lots of memories with classmates and faculty members, the Class of 2018 gathered in the Richard and Norma Small Multi-Sport Center for an indoor ceremony.

Christina Penn-Goetsch, Professor of Art History, gave the faculty address, using an art installation of “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” by Georges Seurat as part of her speech.

“You, as part of Cornell’s community, have contributed to making a better world on the Hilltop through engagement in a variety of ways, both large and small,” Penn-Goetsch said.

Caitlin Stieber, a graduating senior from Sterling Heights, Michigan, gave the student address. She focused on the power of the 18-day block plan. 

“Many of us have had academic experiences and successes that we could not even have dreamed of in high school,” Stieber said. “We have learned subjects that have led us to our passions and what we plan to pursue in the future. Through our hard work and dedication, we have been able to accomplish things that most undergraduates can only dream about.”

Images, speeches, the Baccalaureate sermon, and the seniors’ litany of thanks are on the Commencement webpage and photos can be found on the flickr album.