GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Right at the stroke of noon, a fanfare of
trumpet music heralded Chelsea Robinson, who became the 75,000 person
to be awarded a degree from Grand Valley State University.
Robinson was among the 2,500 students who participated in Grand
Valley’s commencement ceremonies May 1 at Van Andel Arena in downtown
Grand Rapids. The commencement ceremonies paused as Robinson posed for
pictures and was presented with a clock by Grand Valley President
Thomas J. Haas. She and her family then gathered in one of Van Andel
Arena's suites to to meet university mascot Louie the Laker and
receive a gift basket from the Alumni Association filled with Laker
gear, a $100 gift certificate to the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and a
personal three-page letter from Diane Paton, the very first student
admitted to Grand Valley in 1963.
Robinson, 26, originally hails from Fairview and currently lives
in Walker. She earned a bachelor of science degree from the College
of Health Professions, studying diagnostic medical sonography with a
focus on echocardiography and vascular sonography. She recently had a
job interview and hopes to land a job in her field soon.
"It's been a really long road for me to get to this point,
and this feels like the culmination of everything that I worked hard
for for the last four years. It made all that hard work seem
worthwhile," Robinson said.
Chris Barbee, director of Alumni Relations, said "This is
an exciting milestone for Grand Valley. We're proud of Chelsea, and
all of our graduates who have worked so hard and achieved so much."
Students participating in the morning ceremony represented five
colleges: Seidman College of Business, College of Community and Public
Service, Padnos College of Engineering, College of Health Professions,
and Kirkhof College of Nursing.
75,000th GVSU graduate honored
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