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STEVE THOMPSONAmid troubling times, the speaker offers words of hope for those joining an alumni group of more than 43,000.
ST. LEO - Victoria Wickes is raising her 10-year-old son and works full time as a drug rehabilitation counselor. She is pregnant with a girl who is due in July. The father, her boyfriend, is an Army battalion commander in Iraq.
Wickes of Tampa was one of 459 students who walked the stage during Saint Leo University's 41st annual commencement ceremonies Saturday in the school's gymnasium, the Marion Bowman Activities Center. It was the largest graduating class in the university's history.
"I'm going to go out and have a nice dinner and a couple of virgin drinks," Wickes said about how she planned to celebrate.
Wickes, 34, has faced plenty of obstacles while pursuing her bachelor of arts in human services. In addition to taking care of her son, working full time and carrying a baby whose father has been away fighting a war, she has been busy overcoming a physical disability.
A stroke that she suffered in 1989 partially paralyzed the left side of her body. Since then she has gradually regained control of her left side through rehabilitation.
"She has come so far," said Wickes' friend Joyce Lewis, who came to see her graduate. "I'm so proud of her."
The gymnasium was packed with family and friends of the 372 undergraduates who received their degrees during a 3 p.m. ceremony. A separate ceremony for 87 graduate degree candidates was held at 9 a.m. Among the undergraduates were 60 students who attended Saint Leo from various locations around the globe through the school's Center for Online Learning. Many of these students were visiting the campus for the first time.
The undergraduate commencement address was delivered by the Rev. Edward A. Malloy, president of the University of Notre Dame.
Malloy spoke of terrorism, of the SARS virus and of high crime rates and a weak economy in the United States.
"If you wanted to make a case about the world going to hell in a basket, I suppose you'd have plenty of evidence," he said.
But Malloy described "three pillars of hope," which he said can improve things. He encouraged the graduates to take time to develop friendships, to make the sacrifices necessary to raise children properly and to maintain strong religious faith.
Malloy is in his 17th year as president of Notre Dame. He is the author of four books and more than 50 articles and book chapters. He also serves on the boards of AmeriCorps, the National Civilian Community Corps and Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
Saturday's Saint Leo graduates joined an alumni body of more than 43,000.