Orientation and Graduation Back-to-Back in DG

Yesterday MWU's Downers Grove Campus welcomed 296 new students, and today we will graduate 158 alumni. For both groups, it has been a week of endings and beginnings, with much excitement and joy for all.

Orientation kicked off on Wednesday for the new students of the Chicago College of Pharmacy, Occupational Therapy Program, Biomedical Science Program, and Clinical Psychology Program. Students met their deans and program directors, as well as the faculty. They were fitted for their white coats and enjoyed several social events. Unfortunately, Gustav made its way to the Chicagoland area, so the rain forced the traditional orientation picnic to be moved inside. Good food and new friends were still the theme of the day. These September new students join their colleagues who started in June (PA and PT) and August (CCOM), for the following total numbers of new students:

173 Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
201 Chicago College of Pharmacy
84 Physician Assistant Program
48 Physical Therapy Program
37 Occupational Therapy Program
32 Biomedical Science Program
26 Clinical Psychology Program

This afternoon, I'll get out my big maroon robe and head over to our afternoon commencement ceremony in Littlejohn Hall for the Chicago College of Pharmacy and College of Health Sciences. For several years we have held this fall graduation, so that students can graduate as close to the time that they complete their degree requirements. The new feature for this ceremony is a bagpiper who will lead the graduates across campus to the commencement hall and then lead them out into the Bell Tower quad after the processional. We are looking forward to adding this unique element to our ceremony. What the graduates are most looking forward to, however, is earning their degrees and receiving their doctoral or master's hoods and entering the professional world. Congratulations to the 80 PA graduates, 50 CCP early graduates, the 16 CCP nontraditional program graduates, and the 12 PsyD graduates.

Photo: Me and Dave Johnston, the Scottish bagpiper

It has been an exciting week at our Downers Grove Campus. We are looking forward to a busy fall season of events, while the students start the real work of classes and tests and more tests. Congratulations to our new students and our new alumni!