At
the end of each academic year, the Division of Student Affairs recognizes the
many outstanding graduating seniors who have dedicated themselves to a variety
of activities and causes in the division, and celebrates graduating student
success more generally. Most of the
events take place during early June, and guests are often invited to share in
the celebrations. The events
have become honored traditions over the years and the following highlights the
numerous ways in which we celebrate our graduates.
At
the Graduating Student Leader Awards celebration, the oldest and largest of the
senior recognition events, recipients of the James R. Doyle Outstanding Student
Leader award, DePaul Athletics Senior Leadership Awards, St. Vincent de Paul
Award and the Lincoln Laureate are honored. Also at the celebration, the Office
of Multicultural Student Success recognizes recipients of its Oscar Romero,
Barbara Sizemore, and Jose Rizal Senior Leadership awards. The Office of
Residential Education recognizes recipients of the Residential Senior Leader
Award, and University Ministry recognizes students with the Monsignor Egan Award
and University Ministry Spirit Award.
Nominations for the James R. Doyle
Outstanding Student Leader Award will open on April 3, 2017. If you are a
faculty or staff advisor of a student organization and would like to nominate a
student, keep your eyes open for the nominations email. Nominations will close
on Monday, May 1, 2017.
Outside of the Graduating Student Leader Awards celebration, many
departments hold individual ceremonies, and include the Office of Multicultural
Student Success, the Office of Religious Diversity, Adult Veteran and Commuter
Student Affairs, the Center for Identity, Inclusion and Social Change and Residential Education.
The Office of
Multicultural Student Success’ (OMSS) Recognition Soiree recognizes
graduating DePaul students who have participated in any one of its programs, such
as Students Together Are Reaching Success, the Men Of Color Initiative and
Providing Access Through Holistic Support. The soiree seeks to encourage OMSS’s
graduating seniors in their next steps, either in their careers or continued
education.
The Office of Religious Diversity’s DePaul
Protestant Christian Ministries holds a Senior Blessing. For the last
three years, University Minister Keith Baltimore and Chaplain Diane Dardón
bless each student and provide them with a stole to wear during Baccalaureate
Mass at St. Vincent de Paul church, which immediately follows the Senior
Blessing and takes place the Friday before graduation in June.
Adult, Veteran and Commuter Student Affairs hosts the Adult Student Graduation Brunch, which honors
adult undergraduate students. At the brunch an adult student alumnus speaks. An
award is presented to an adult student who has exemplified academic success and
work life balance. The brunch concludes with the recognition of each student,
as well as a chance for each student to thank someone who assisted them in
their undergraduate journey.
The
Center for Identity, Inclusion and Social Change and Residential Education also
hold awards ceremonies. The Center hosts the LGBTQA Lavender Graduation and
Stonewall Awards, honoring both undergraduate and graduate LGBTQA students that
are graduating that year. Residential Education recognizes resident advisors and office assistants in early May at the Resident
Advisor Leadership awards.
Encourage
your students to keep their eyes open for information on the various graduating
senior celebrations and to attend, if appropriate.