graduation

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Woman Who Skipped Thesis in 1941 Gets Master's

'It's nice to be recognized,' says Virginia Hislop, whose education was disrupted by WWII

(Newser) - A 20-something Virginia Hislop was on the verge of completing a master's degree in education in 1941 when World War II threw a wrench in her plans. She'd completed all degree requirements but a final thesis when her fiance was called to serve. Hislop abandoned her studies to...

College Grads Receive a Big Gift, With a 'Catch'

UMass Dartmouth students get $1K each from billionaire Robert Hale, but they have to donate half

(Newser) - Students threw their graduation caps into the air at UMass Dartmouth this week, and they were on the receiving end of quite a surprise during what the college calls an "unforgettable ceremony." CBS News reports that Boston Celtics co-owner Robert Hale served as commencement speaker on Thursday, and...

University's Commencement Speaker Was AI Robot

Some students at D'Youville felt 'disrespected'

(Newser) - At D'Youville University in Buffalo, graduates were given life advice from a commencement speaker that wasn't alive. Sophia, a humanoid artificial intelligence robot, addressed the crowd in what the New York Times calls "a bold decision that drew mixed reactions." Like human speakers, the robot received...

Graduate Honors Dual Heritage Despite Judge's Ruling

Court backed Colorado school district wanting to prohibit sash with Mexican, American flags

(Newser) - Although her school district told her not to, and a judge backed that decision up, a high school graduate wore a sash representing the flags of Mexico and the US to her commencement ceremony over the weekend. "Always stand up for what you believe in," Naomi Peña...

Harris Has a First at West Point
Harris Has a First at West Point
May 27, 2023 12:55 PM CDT

Harris Has a First at West Point

Vice president welcomes graduates to 'unsettled world'

(Newser) - Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman to deliver a commencement speech at West Point, lauded graduating cadets Saturday for their noble sacrifice in serving their country, but cautioned that they were entering an "unsettled world" because of Russian aggression and the rising threats from China. "The world...

Billionaire Offers Surprise Gift to Grads at Commencement

Robert Hale gifts $1K to each UMass Boston student during ceremony, with a heartwarming catch

(Newser) - Students being honored at Thursday's graduation ceremony at UMass Boston not only received their diplomas—there was also an extra-special gift waiting for them, courtesy of commencement speaker Robert Hale, the billionaire CEO of Granite Telecommunications and part owner of the Boston Celtics. CNN reports that as the university'...

This 9-Year-Old Is Now a High School Graduate

Pennsylvania's David Balogun hopes to be an astrophysicist

(Newser) - Like lots of kids, David Balogun took remote classes during the pandemic. Unlike lots of kids, however, David used those online classes at Reach Cyber Charter School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to help him notch a quite impressive achievement: earning a high school diploma before he even hit his teens, reports...

13 Shot at Graduation Parties in Virginia and Texas, 1 Fatally

Gunfire kills 20-year-old after fights break out

(Newser) - More than a dozen people were shot, one fatally, at graduation parties in Virginia and Texas on Friday night. Gunfire erupted during a gathering in central Virginia, about 15 miles south of Richmond, police said Saturday, killing a 20-year-old man and wounding seven other young people. Two separate fights among...

Outrage Follows Graduation Speaker's Marriage Remarks

He urged Ohio high school students to follow 'Biblical principles'

(Newser) - A public school district in Ohio says it will be "reviewing its processes" after a graduation speaker urged students to avoid same-sex marriages. "Choose a spouse, I suggest. I also strongly suggest to make sure to choose Biblical principles, you know, a male with a female and female...

Couple Pays Off Student Debt for LA School's Class of 2022
Graduation Got Even Sweeter
May 16, 2022 7:45 PM CDT

Graduation Got Even Sweeter

Evan Spiegel and Miranda Kerr pay off student debt for LA school's Class of 2022

(Newser) - Evan Spiegel, who later co-founded Snapchat, has fond memories of taking summer classes at Otis College of Art and Design while in high school. "It changed my life and made me feel at home," Spiegel said, the Los Angeles Times reports. "I felt pushed and challenged to...

Teacher Had Excellent Reason for Going Shoeless at Grad
Senior Barred From His Own
Graduation Gets a Big Save
in case you missed it
Jun 6, 2021 3:00 PM CDT

Senior Barred From His Own Graduation Gets a Big Save

Teacher gave his shoes to a graduate whose own shoes weren't allowed

(Newser) - A high school senior turned away from his own graduation says a "hero" of a teacher ensured he walked across the stage to receive his diploma—by giving up the shoes on his feet. Daverius Peters of Hahnville High School in Boutte, La., had put on black leather designer...

Cadets Assured They're Ready for Anything

Defense secretary tells West Point graduates the threats include cyber weapons and pandemics

(Newser) - Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told US Military Academy cadets Saturday they were graduating during "exceptionally tough circumstances," but that West Point prepared them to face the extraordinary threats ahead and the ones already here. Austin spoke to about 1,000 cadets becoming Army second lieutenants in a ceremony...

Senator Calls Columbia's Multicultural Graduation Ceremonies 'Segregation'

University says Tom Cotton is misrepresenting longstanding ceremonies started by students

(Newser) - Republican Sen. Tom Cotton caused an uproar Tuesday by blasting the multicultural graduation ceremonies offered by Columbia University as "segregation." He was apparently outraged by a Fox story that said the university would host "six separate graduation ceremonies based on income level, race, ethnicities." Cotton and...

'Hate-Filled Attack' by Hacker Ends Virtual Graduation

Racist slurs and symbols fill Zoom screen

(Newser) - "During a time that should have been focused on recognizing our graduating students," the president of Oklahoma City University said, "an unknown source was able to bypass the system and display racist and offensive language." The attack cut short the school's virtual graduation ceremony Saturday....

Valedictorian's Speech Started With Thanks, Ended With Barbs

Nataly Buhr 'thanked' office staff for 'negligence'

(Newser) - A California high school valedictorian threw a curveball in her commencement speech last week, and school officials aren't thrilled. Nataly Buhr's address last Thursday to the crowd at San Diego's San Ysidro High School started off typical, with Nataly thanking teachers and her parents, per Fox News...

Principal Whose Words Echoed Kutcher's: 'I Made a Mistake'

West Virginia's Kenny DeMoss has been suspended for 5 days, without pay

(Newser) - A West Virginia principal accused of plagiarizing Ashton Kutcher in an address to his school's graduating class has been suspended without pay for five days, the AP reports. The News and Sentinel reports Parkersburg High School's Kenny DeMoss was suspended Tuesday at a Wood County Board of Education...

Bromance Rekindled as an Obama, a Biden Graduate

'We had a whole get together' as Sasha Obama, Maisy Biden graduated Sidwell Friends

(Newser) - Sasha Obama is all grown up and done with high school. Former President Obama, wife Michelle, and eldest daughter Malia looked on proudly Sunday as Sasha graduated from the private Sidwell Friends School in Washington, DC, a day before her 18th birthday, reports USA Today . Joe and Jill Biden were...

Jenny Slate to Address School's Lone Graduating Student

She says it was an honor to be chosen

(Newser) - Jenny Slate will be giving a speech to the entire graduating class of Cuttyhunk Elementary on June 17—which consists of one student, eighth-grader Gwen Lynch. The 13-year-old, who is the only student at the one-room schoolhouse on Cuttyhunk Island, tells the New York Times that she was "blown...

Student Accuses Her Principal of Stealing His Speech

An Ashton Kutcher speech does bear a striking resemblance

(Newser) - A West Virginia principal accused of plagiarizing Ashton Kutcher in an address to his school's graduating class says he didn't mean to use someone else's work, the AP reports. Parkersburg High School Principal Kenny DeMoss has issued a statement saying he should have cited his sources in...

Country's New Law Could Bring 525B New Trees to the World

Philippines bill would mandate students plant at least 10 trees each before graduating

(Newser) - Advocates for a new bill in the Philippines say it could result in 525 billion new trees over the course of a generation, and the ones set to be on the front lines for this initiative are students. The Independent and CNN Philippines report on the proposed legislation, which mandates...

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