Dear Arts and Letters Graduates
Your determination to complete your degree and reach this academic milestone, as we face a global health crisis, is also part of your legacy and will inspire future Jaguars to persist and demonstrate the same resolve as they claim their education.
Dear Graduates,
As we reach the end of the academic year, I write to you with an immense sense of pride in what you’ve accomplished. Set aside for a moment that we’re in the middle of a pandemic: You’ve earned a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, something the majority of folks in the U.S. cannot say. You are now in rare company, and that is an incredible achievement at any time, and even more so in these extraordinary circumstances.
Your perseverance and dedication to learning is what sets you apart and also why you’ve found belonging in the Division of Arts and Letters. With 18 degree programs, you and your classmates will head into an incredibly diverse set of fields, taking with you the skills and knowledge you’ve developed here. Whether that’s using your knowledge of restorative and social justice to transform the criminal justice system or using your skills with cutting edge studio equipment to broadcast stories that matter to our communities, we are excited to see what you’ll do next. We are proud to have you out in the world representing your programs, the Arts and Letters division, the College of Arts and Sciences, and Governors State University. Your determination to complete your degree and reach this academic milestone, as we face a global health crisis, is also part of your legacy and will inspire future Jaguars to persist and demonstrate the same resolve as they claim their education.
Right now, we cannot gather together for the traditional ceremony to commemorate your success and watch as you participate in the ritual of walking across the stage to our thunderous applause. Still, the faculty and staff of the Division of Arts and Letters, along with your family and friends, celebrate you and your accomplishment. It has been an honor to see you work toward your degree and now join the elite ranks of Governors State University alumni, our pride.
We look forward to watching your dreams come true in the months and years ahead and hope for good health for you and your family.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jason Zingsheim
Professor, Communication
Chair, Division of Arts and Letters
College of Arts and Sciences
Governors State University