Soon-to-be-graduates gathered around booths at the 2013 Graduation Fair in the U Campus Store to pre-order caps and gowns for the spring commencement ceremony Thursday. The fair will continue through Saturday.
Graduating students buzzed among the stations offering graduate announcements, class rings, diploma frames and other regalia. Students also lined up to sign their names, majors and other comments such as “a lot of people go to college for seven years” on a 5-foot-tall block letter U that will be presented at their graduation.
Bryce Williams, graduating with a master’s in educational leadership and policy, was one such student who extended the traditional four years of college to eight consecutive years at the U.
“I’ve had an amazing experience at the U,” he said. “Classes have been great, professors have been awesome. I’m really excited and kind of sad to leave, but I think it’s time to move on.”
Williams was on the ASUU Executive Cabinet and Student Senate, held a resident assistant position for on-campus housing and was the 2011 Homecoming King.
“Find some area on campus to get involved with, and it will definitely enhance your overall experience at the University of Utah,” he said.
Leslie Lovlien, graduating with a degree in biology, said she feels well prepared for the next chapter in her life. She will now be searching for a job in medical research.
“Take easy classes, or focus and do well on your harder classes, because increasing an initially low GPA is a lot harder than one would think … it’s really important to start off with a high GPA and have that base,” Lovlien said.
Neda Nourbakhsh, also graduating in biology, emphasized the importance of student-teacher connections for job and graduate school applications.
“Most of the professors are really nice, and they love to sit down and talk to you and help you out,” she said. “Take advantage of that.”
Nourbakhsh expressed the same eagerness to graduate and continue her education at pharmacy school.
Lovlien and Nourbakhsh met in class three years ago and since then have been taking classes together.
“That’s some other advice — get to know the people in your classes,” Lovlien said.