By Sarah Kyo, Web Communications Specialist
Graduates get excited at the Justice Studies Convocation in Morris Dailey Auditorium (Dillon Adams photo).
(This week, SJSU Today’s small but mighty band of writers and photographers will take a peek at graduation receptions and convocations campuswide so we can share with you the excitement of the more than 8,000 members of the Class of 2012. We begin the series with the Department of Justice Studies. We’ll post more photos on Facebook.)
From the stage, Department Chair Mark Correia videotaped Justice Studies graduates as they entered Morris Dailey Auditorium on May 16 to the familiar sounds of “Pomp and Circumstance.”
Each graduate had a personalized moment when it was his or her turn to walk across the stage after being called by name. Master’s degree candidates were each hooded by his or her main adviser. Each undergraduate had the option of writing a brief message about his or her post-graduation plans or giving a shout out to loved ones, which were read aloud.
One of the faculty members who read graduates’ names was lecturer Janet Hagemann, who is retiring at the end of this semester. Hagemann, ’81 Criminal Justice Administration, received recognition from the U.S. Secret Service and the Justice Studies Department. Her honors and gifts included plaques, a bouquet of flowers, a lifetime university parking permit and a donation to the animal non-profit organization of her choice.
Hagemann and Correia both share a Scottish heritage. To everyone’s surprise, Correia removed his robe and walked away from the podium to reveal a traditional outfit, including a kilt. It inspired @mewissa’s tweet, “BEST CONVOCATION EVER.”
The festivities were just getting started as the upbeat song “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO ushered in the next stage of the graduates’ lives.