News
Loyola Celebrates 2024 Spring Commencement
NEW ORLEANS — From Loyola University New Orleans:
On Saturday, May 11, nearly 900 students graduated from Loyola.
CBS Saturday Morning co-host Michelle Miller gave the keynote address for the undergraduate and graduate ceremonies. Miller advised graduates that their education had prepared them for the next chapter of their lives and encouraged them to embrace their place in the world and shape it into the one in which they want to live.
Miller was recognized with a Doctorate of Humane Letters. Additional honorees were Civil Rights leader Ronnie Moore and Senior District Judge Ivan L. R. Lemelle, who delivered the keynote address at the College of Law Commencement ceremony on Friday where 201 students received their degrees.
Twelve students who completed the inaugural cohort of the pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree offered in partnership with Oschner Health were among the graduates celebrated at Saturday’s ceremony.
President Xavier Cole, presiding over his first Loyola University New Orleans commencement, expressed gratitude for the graduates’ contributions to Loyola.
“For the class of 2024, this commencement is particularly meaningful,” he said. “These undergraduate students ended high school and started college through the pandemic. They faced the unprecedented challenges of virtual learning and social isolation and missed out on many beloved traditions. But these graduates have shown remarkable resilience and adaptability. They have triumphed over adversity and are ready for whatever their future holds. We are so thankful that they are able to walk this stage today, enjoy this moment, and celebrate the community that stood by them throughout their time at Loyola.
“As graduates of Loyola University New Orleans you leave our community much better than you found it, simply by sharing your gifts and talents along the way,” he continued. “You challenged us to be better, to meet our mission, and to educate you well. For this we thank you. You will always be a part of us. We, your faculty and staff, are already proud of the work we know you’ll engage to make your communities better places. You’re equipped with all the tools you need for success, and you are more than ready to launch. So today we urge you to go forth and set the world on fire with your love and with your light. I know from my interactions with this particular class that they are ready to build a more just world and to step into their next role pursuing truth, wisdom, and virtue.”
