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Wide photo of the stage at Commencement with a person speaking on stage.

Celebrating Lakers for a Lifetime: December 2023 Commencement in photos

December 9, 2023

BY Amanda Pitts
Image credit - Top photo by Kendra Stanley-Mills

Dec 13, 2023
Three people dressed in caps and gowns laugh on the curb before crossing the street.
Three soon-to-be graduates laugh together before crossing the street on their way to Van Andel Arena.
Image credit - Ashley Cefali
A graduate stands with their back to the camera showing off the top off their cap decorated with white and red flowers, a flag, and butterflies and the words read in Spanish, "My parents came with nothing to give it all."
Sandra Hernandez-Campos, a first-generation graduate, shows off the decoration on her graduation cap that reads in Spanish, "My parents came with nothing to give it all."
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
Two soon-to-be graduates hug while wearing their Commencement gowns. One of them has a decorated cap facing the camera that reads, " Because Cat Lady isn't a career."
Two soon-to-be graduates hug outside Van Andel Arena before Commencement on December 9.
Image credit - Ashley Cefali
A person touches the tassel hanging from her graduation cap.
Breeana Moncrief adjusts the graduation tassel before heading into Van Andel Arena for Commencement. Moncrief was a double major in business and marketing.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A person in their graduation gown hugs their little brother before Commencement.
Jaedyn Winton hugs brother, Christian Winton, 13, before heading into the Commencement ceremony at Van Andel Arena.
Image credit - Macayla Cramer
Close-up of a person holding on to their graduation tassel from behind. The number 2023 also hangs on the tassel.
A soon-to-be graduate adjusts their tassel before the start of the fall Commencement ceremony at Van Andel Arena December 9.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
Two people in a heart-felt hug, one of them in a graduation gown holding their cap in their hand.
Jaedyn Winton hugs her boyfriend before heading into the Commencement ceremony at Van Andel Arena.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
Two people embrace while having their photo taken.
Two people embrace outside the Van Andel Arena before the Commencement ceremony December 9.
Image credit - Ashley Cefali
Soon-to-be graduates take a second to embrace while people bustle around them.
Soon-to-be graduates embrace before heading into Van Andel Arena for Commencement.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
Three people in graduation gowns stand close to each other holding their caps in their hands. One faces the camera directly and her cap reads, "Miss Mroz".
Alyssa Mroz, Anna Norton and Grace Morris, from left, all special education majors, share a moment together before Commencement December 9. "We finished student teaching yesterday," Mroz said. "This is the last step until we start our masters."
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A soon-to-be graduate poses for a selfie in their cap and gown in front of a building.
A soon-to-be graduate poses for a selfie in front of the Van Andel Arena before heading in for the Commencement ceremony on December 9.
Image credit - Macayla Cramer
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A line of people in academic regalia process into the arena together.
Shannon Cohen, '00 and '11, center, the ceremony's guest speaker, processes in, followed by President Philomena V. Mantella.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A person in academic regalia, holding a ceremonial mace, proceeds into the arena toward the stage while soon-to-be graduates look on.
Courtney Karasinski, vice chair of University Academic Senate, College of Health Professions, was the mace bearer during the fall Commencement ceremony at Van Andel Arena.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
Several students stand in a line holding microphones and singing on stage.
The song "Seasons of Love" by Jonathan Larson was performed by students Anna Bremmer, Saamanthy Rajenthiran, Hannah St. Andre, Lindsey O'Donnell, Spencer Escareño-Kniat and Hunter Brown.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A person in a cap, gown, and hood stands at a podium speaking on stage.
Shannon Cohen, '00 and '11, center, was the Commencement ceremony's guest speaker.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
Two people embrace on stage.
A student hugs President Philomena V. Mantella after they received their degree during the fall Commencement ceremony December 9.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
Two people sitting on stage wearing academic regalia smile and laugh together.
Fatma Mili, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs, left, and Jenny Hall-Jones, vice president for Student Affairs, share a moment on the stage during the fall Commencement ceremony.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A person wearing a cap and gown wears a great big smile.
The ceremony's student speaker, Megan Smith, smiles while processing to the stage during Commencement on December 9.
Image credit - Ashley Cefali
Close up view of a decorated cap that says, "I scare because I care. PICU, RN".
Many graduates decorated their caps with special messages.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A big group of people smile and wave at an unseen camera while surrounding their graduate.
The ceremony's student speaker, Megan Smith, poses with her family for a group photo. Smith kept the speech as a surprise to her father.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
Inside view of the full arena from the back looking toward the stage.
Supporters filled Van Andel Arena to cheer on more than 1,300 graduating Grand Valley students.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A line of people in caps and gowns smile.
Graduates smile as they leave the stage with their diplomas during Commencement.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
Two people in caps and gowns look at each other with big smiles while holding their degrees in hand.
Two graduates share a moment as they leave the stage with their diplomas during Commencement.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A person in a cap and gown holding their diploma holds their other hand up in the air pointing into the crowd.
Image credit - Ashley Cefali
A person in a cap and gown holds out a peace sign and smiles at the camera.
Image credit - Ashley Cefali
Recent graduates celebrate on their way out of the arena after the ceremony commenced.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
Image credit - Ashley Cefali
Image credit - Ashley Cefali
Image credit - Macayla Cramer
Image credit - Ashley Cefali
Silhouette of a person in a cap and gown against the background of the Commencement stage and decoration.
A graduate walks past the stage after receiving their diploma during the fall Commencement ceremony at Van Andel Arena December 9.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A person in cap and gown smiles up into the crowd.
A soon-to-be graduate waits for the Commencement ceremony to begin at Van Andel Arena December 9.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
Three people in academic regalia stand on stage, two hood the person in the middle.
A student is hooded during Commencement at Van Andel Arena December 9.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A person in cap and gown smiles and waves up into the crowd as they cross the stage.
A graduate waves to the crowd as he walks across the Commencement stage.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A person dressed in a cap and gown and wearing sunglasses sits in a crowd of soon-to-be graduates.
Denzel Williams dons a pair of sunglasses before the start of the Commencement ceremony. Williams was receiving a degree in sport management.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A graduate holds up a cell phone over all the other graduates' heads.
A graduate records the recessional at the end of the Commencement ceremony December 9.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A person in cap and gown holding their diploma, shakes hands with a person dressed in academic regalia.
Sam Maiyo shakes hands with President Philomena V. Mantella while crossing the stage to receive a diploma for nursing.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A person wearing a cap and gown smiles while surrounded in a sea of other soon-to-be graduates.
A soon-to-be graduate smiles as the procession passes during the fall Commencement ceremony.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A person in cap and gown smiles and waves enthusiastically toward the crowd.
Madelynn Lixie, center, waves to her friends and family in the audience before the start of the Commencement ceremony.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A smiling group of people in caps and gowns all hug each other.
Brooke Mckenzie, hugs friends; they graduated from the nursing program together.
Image credit - Lauren Seymour
A person in a cap and gown holds their phone up high to get a selfie while exiting the arena.
A graduate walks out of Commencement taking a selfie to remember the day.
Image credit - Lauren Seymour
A soon-to-be graduate waves into the crowd while holding their cell phone to their ear and surrounded by other soon-to-be graduates.
A soon-to-be graduate waves to a person in the audience while waiting for the Commencement ceremony to start.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A faculty member in academic regalia smiles while recessing after the ceremony.
Faculty members leave the ceremony after more than 1,300 degrees were conferred.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
People in caps and gowns look up into the crowd.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
Close-up of a hand holding a cell phone while taking a selfie.
A graduate takes a selfie to capture a memory at Commencement.
Image credit - Lauren Seymour
Three soon-to-be graduate hold up another soon-to-be graduate.
Three soon-to-be graduate hold up another soon-to-be graduate, Karim Seif, who earned his degree in cyber security.
Image credit - Lauren Seymour
Image credit - Macayla Cramer
A soon-to-be graduate in her gown, hugs her grandmother in the arena.
Mallory Kubeshesky hugs her grandma, cherishing their special bond, as she graduates.
Image credit - Lauren Seymour
A person in cap and gown holds flowers while smiling and looking at the camera with their family around them.
Recent graduates pose with their families after the Commencement ceremony at Van Andel Arena December 9.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A recent graduate surrounded by people, all smiling and looking at a camera out of frame.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A recent graduate stands outside with two others, all smiling and looking at a camera out of frame.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
Recent graduates pose with their families after the Commencement ceremony at Van Andel Arena December 9.
Two people stand outside in their graduation gowns while holding their caps in the air after Commencement.
Anna Mary Moody, left, and Jacquelyn Knapp pose for a photo together after celebrating their graduation December 9. Moody received a degree in special education and Knapp received a biomedical sciences degree.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
Image credit - Ashley Cefali

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