St. Mary’s College of Maryland conducted a special graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 9, for 15 senior student-athletes of the men’s and women’s lacrosse teams. The early commencement, dubbed the “Grad Walk,” was organized because these students will be participating in the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament on Saturday, May 11, coinciding with the college’s regular commencement exercises.
The event took place under the same tent where the standard graduation will be held, ensuring the lacrosse players received a comparable celebratory experience. Family, friends, teammates, faculty, and staff attended the ceremony to support the graduating athletes.
During the ceremony, each athlete’s name and major were announced as they walked across the stage to receive their diplomas. Photos were taken with President Tuajuanda C. Jordan, and the college’s administrators donned full academic regalia to preserve the tradition and formality of the occasion.
Crystal Gibson, St. Mary’s Director of Athletics and Recreation, expressed pride in the students’ dual accomplishments in academics and athletics. “This special event is a culmination of four years of excellence in the classroom, community, and the competition arena,” Gibson stated before the event. She added, “These student-athletes have represented the College at the highest level and will continue to do so this weekend in the NCAA championships. We look forward to cheering them on as they cross the stage and then onto the field.”
The senior women’s lacrosse team will face Grove City College in the first round of the NCAA tournament at 3 p.m. at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, the men’s team will compete against No. 2 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at noon on RPI’s campus in Troy, New York.
St. Mary’s College will hold its regular commencement ceremony for the remaining graduates on Saturday at 10 a.m. on the College’s Townhouse Green. Both the Grad Walk and Saturday’s commencement will be live-streamed, with links available on the College’s Commencement site.
