graduation cap that, along with your
gown and diploma, is recognition
of your academic achievement, hard
work, commitment and perseverance.
And the hats that you wear that we
don’t see right now are those of son
or daughter, perhaps mother or father,
sibling, and friend. They are the hats
that hopefully kept you grounded
during your years at Towson and will
continue to be just as important in the
years to come.
While I am sure you have gotten
more advice in the last few months
than you ever wanted, I would like to
bring you thoughts from a renowned
literary figure who says it much more
beautifully than I ever could. This
is what Maya Angelou said in an
interview with Oprah Winfrey on the
occasion of her 70th birthday.
When asked what she has learned,
Ms. Angelou said:
“I’ve learned that no matter what
happens, or how bad it seems today,
life does go on, and it will be better
tomorrow.
I’ve learned that you can tell a lot
about a person by the way he or she
handles three things: a rainy day, lost
luggage, and tangled Christmas tree
lights.
I’ve learned that making a living is
not the same thing as making a life.
I’ve learned that life sometimes gives
you a second chance.
I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go
through life with a catcher’s mitt on
both hands; you need to be able to
throw some things back.
I’ve learned that whenever
I decide something with an open
heart, I usually make the right
decision.
I’ve learned that even when I have
pains, I don’t have to be one.
I’ve learned that every day you
should reach out and touch someone.
People love a warm hug or just a
friendly pat on the back.
I’ve learned that I still have a lot
to learn.
I’ve learned that people will forget
what you said, people will forget what
you did, but people will never forget
how you made them feel.”
46 towson WINTER 2011
Congratulations and best wishes for
a fulfilling life.
Keith Ewancio ‘94/’97
delivered greetings for
the Alumni Association
at the 2 p.m.
Commencement.
Good afternoon. As a member of
the Alumni Association Board of
Directors and a proud graduate of
the Classes of 1994 and 2007, I am
honored to be here today representing
the more than 120,000 alumni who
have graduated from this wonderful
university.
Each of these alumni has a story to
tell about the lives they have touched
as a result of their education at Towson University.
My own story would not have been
possible without the education, experiences, and connections I made here
at Towson. You too will have a great
story to tell—one that you will be
proud to share with future generations
of Towson graduates!
Your story starts today as you join
1,574 fellow graduates that make up
the class of 2010. Today, 1,195 of
you are receiving a bachelor’s degree,
372 of you are receiving a master’s
degree or certificate, and seven of you
are receiving a doctoral degree from
Towson University.
Your class is 62 percent female and
38 percent male. The average age of
undergraduate students in this year’s
graduating class is 24 and of graduate
students is 31. We have two graduates here today who, at the age of 63
are receiving master’s degrees, Sharon
Resnick Hoffman and Constance A.
Songer.
The Class of 2010 represents 18
out of our 50 states with New York
and New Jersey having the largest
number of graduates outside the State
of Maryland. And for the record,
45 of you come from New York and
55 come from New Jersey. Two of
you are the sole representatives from
your home states of Connecticut
and Tennessee.
For those of you receiving your
master’s or doctoral degree today,
we know that over 25 percent of you
have also received your bachelor’s
degree from Towson—so a second
congratulations is in order.
We know this class was very
engaged and active as the seniors had
over 2,000 visits to the Campus Recreation Services Department by participating in sports clubs, adventure pursuits or joined an intramural team and
nearly 450 of you participated in an
informal recreational activity. Thirty-eight of you graduating today are
members of a fraternity or sorority,
17 of you played intercollegiate athletics and a majority of current seniors
and graduate students participated in
an internship or experiential learning
project this past semester. All of this
while having an average class GPA of
3. 3. Well done!
We know that most of you will stay
right here in Maryland after graduation because, on average, 72 percent
of TU alumni call Maryland home,
although alumni live in every state
across America and 77 countries.
Perhaps you will join the 5,526 alumni
that married a fellow Towson graduate or you will become one of the
1,526 alumni who came back to their
alma mater in either a faculty or staff
position.
The rest of your story is yet to be
written. Once you walk out those
doors today, remember that while
your time here at Towson may be over,
you will always be a part of the Towson University family. The Alumni Association will help you stay connected
and look forward to hearing about
your accomplishments and successes.
On behalf of the thousands of
alumni who have preceded you, it is
my privilege to congratulate you on
your outstanding achievements. Please
be sure to share your story with us as
you make your special mark as Towson University alumni.
Congratulations again!
