Richard Paige — For those who live the cyclical life of academia, commencement isn’t unlike the yard of bricks at IMS, a finish line to yet another year.
Certainly, all professors enjoy some aspect of the proceedings when optimism is in abundance and the possibilities are endless.
For Dan Rogers, Professor of Modern Languages, there is a joy in the connections made with students and families, and the shared sense of accomplishment that is celebrated. From meeting parents on Freshman Saturday to seeing them again at Commencement, it’s nice to play a role in that progression.
“When you teach a freshman tutorial, you meet students and their families at the very beginning of their college career,” Rogers said. “It’s always wonderful to see them again at graduation and share in the collective joy of their accomplishments. Some of the most heartfelt moments I’ve experienced as a Wabash professor happen with those families right after commencement.”
Two Wabash professors also found themselves in the same shoes as the 229 graduates, as Marc Hudson and David Polley were retiring after nearly 60 combined years in Wabash classrooms and labs.
A Buddhist thought came to mind for Hudson, a Professor of English, when asked what’s next.
“Each moment is a new moment, whether we are graduating from college or retiring from teaching after 28 years,” he said. “Each moment is brand new, has never been lived, never been experienced before, so I’m going to live my future in that spirit.”
When asked a similar question, Polley, a Professor of Biology, conjured up this thought.
“Like the graduates, I feel the same sense of relief, and a little bit of surprise,” he laughed. “I didn’t have any different feelings getting ready, it’s just part of a continuum.”
