Graduates walk through campus on their way to Ball Circle for this year’s commencement ceremony, including Martina Nicholson who’s wearing the “feet” of the school’s Sammy D. Eagle mascot. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.
A bird’s eye view of the University of Mary Washington’s Ball Circle revealed a sea of blue on Saturday morning. Mortarboards, decked out with photos and flowers, ribbons and paint, signified the personalities, experiences and aspirations of the members of the Class of 2025.
Campus filled with the excitement of more than 900 graduates, along with their family and friends, gathered in the thousands to watch the ceremony, which was also livestreamed. Not a single cloud dotted the sky, providing the perfect backdrop for the streamers and confetti that arced over the grads at the end of the ceremony.
Kayla Workman of Beaverdam, Virginia, described the day as bittersweet. A historic preservation major who works as an editorial assistant for the Marine Corps Association at Quantico, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in library information sciences at the University of Alabama. The Hobbit quote she’d added to her cap said it all: “I think I’m quite ready for the adventure.”
Business administration majors Cody Faust, whose family hails from Ukraine, and Ian O’Hare of Stafford helped adjust each other’s regalia before taking their places on Jefferson Square. “Time flew by really fast,” said O’Hare, who plans to enter the Air Force. “The next thing you know, I’m getting ready to cross the stage with all of my friends.” Read more.