There are 65 days until my graduation from Virginia Wesleyan College. I do not know how many tickets I will get, what I am allowed to wear, or what time I need to be in the building … I don’t even know what time graduation starts.
I have yet to get an email in regard to graduation tickets or times, yet we are expected to know these things and taught to be prepared at all times.
I receive emails daily from the college. I know every time there is a new donor. I know whenever there is a VWC Day and I even know what goes on during the Board of Trustees meeting. Each morning I receive a Nota Bene around 6:30 a.m. … but no email has mentioned graduation.
The president of the college uses social media daily. His accounts are very active, but there has been no information on gradation.
For some odd reason I have to go on a search through the college’s website just to find out how many graduation tickets I am granted and what color my dress needs to be.
The fact that I haven’t received an email yet blows my mind. Maybe it is because they know we will all have a problem with only getting seven tickets at a college graduation, or maybe it is because the college is worried about the wrong things.
After searching the college’s website, I found that seniors are only given seven graduation tickets. Seven. This is a college graduation, not high school. During the beginning of the school year when I asked how many tickets seniors would be given, no one seemed to have the answer. Now I find out that it is seven. I believe the administration knew at this time last year that there would only be seven tickets per student, and they just chose not to tell us.
I feel that Virginia Wesleyan College needs to look into the budget a little harder and find some money so that we can have our graduation at a different venue. It should not be that hard. I mean it is just one less set of T-shirts that they can’t give out at an event. Graduation tickets definitely outweigh a T-shirt right?
Many would argue, on the other hand, that having graduation off-campus would take away from tradition and will portray that we (students) are not proud of Virginia Wesleyan College.
I completely disagree with that. I would argue that regardless of where the graduation is held, it is a given that we are proud of what will soon be our alma mater.
It is worth consideration to have graduation at an off-campus venue so that more family members and friends are able to attend the event. It is unfair that after working so hard for four years, you now have to decide who you will mark off of your list for attendance.
There are so many students with parents, stepparents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who have all had an impact on their lives throughout college. I know for me, I definitely have more than seven people who want to be a part of this special day with me. I have two sets of parents, grandparents and siblings as well as friends who want to come to my graduation.
Clearly, the decision will not be changed for this year’s graduation, but I really hope Virginia Wesleyan College will look into making some budget changes for the upcoming classes. After all, this is Virginia Wesleyan College, not Virginia Wesleyan High School, right?
Jasmine Driggs
jtdriggs@vwc.edu
(Photo: Val Miller | Marlin Chronicle)