More than 330 Thomas More University graduates received their diplomas at Thomas More Stadium on May 13.
“I would like to thank our faculty for guiding and helping you to explore and to engage in your education here at Thomas More,” President Joseph L. Chillo, LP.D., said to the class of 2023. “They ensure that our mission is timely and relevant because we know the value of every alumnus in fulfilling their ability to examine the ultimate meaning of life, their place in the world, and their responsibility to others.”
This year was the first time commencement was held at the stadium, and thanks to the size of the venue, all three university colleges participated.
One hundred and thirty-four undergraduate students were the first in their family to achieve the goal of a higher education degree. The class includes representatives from 12 states and five countries, with five military veterans among their ranks.
Maria Rice, a James Graham Brown scholar earning a Bachelor of Science in chemistry with a minor in mathematics, received the presidential award.
“We never could have predicted how much would change between our convocation ceremony in our first year and our commencement,” Rice shared in her address to graduates. “We can leave Thomas More with more than just the knowledge that we gained in our classes; we can leave with a well-rounded set of skills from our liberal arts experiences, lifelong friends, an ever-growing community of alumni, and confidence that the graduating class of 2023 will move forward to make a world of difference in the future.”
