Members of the first Spring graduating class from the College of Community Engagement and Professions were honored at a ceremony May 17, 2024. A similar event for the first-ever graduating class was held in December 2023. The College was formed in July 2023.
Graduates included bachelor’s degree, master’s and doctoral students from the School of Information Studies, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare and the School of Education. In the spring semester, 3,491 students graduated from the three schools.
Graduates enjoyed a dinner together and took hundreds of photos of themselves. Many took the opportunity to say a few words of thanks to parents, spouses, partners, children, pets, God, families, best friends, mentors and teachers who helped them reach their goals. One online student who came to the ceremony even had special thanks for the reliable Wi-Fi that helped her complete her program. Another graduate thanked her family who juggled busy schedules and late meals while she completed her course work.
Many of the students were the first ones in their family to earn a college degree and proudly shared that accomplishment while thanking those who supported them on their journey.
Married couple Johnquell Tucker, a school social worker, and Diamond Tucker made the university journey together and graduated together, while raising their family. Johnquell earned a master’s degree in social work and Diamond earned her master’s degree in human resources and labor relations.
For a number of the graduates, their children were the inspiration for coming to UWM and completing a degree. “I wanted to do better for her,” said Dolores Brown of her daughter, Delilah, who was at the ceremony. “She’s the reason I tried to do things I didn’t think I could do.” Brown earned her degree in school library media.
