Farewell to graduating seniors
By KIFLIN TURNER
Assistant News Editor
In a few days, nearly 3,000 students will receive their diplomas and become alumni, no longer students of their respective schools. There will be more football games, basketball championships and sub-zero temperatures for future classes, but for 2001 graduates this weekend's commencement marks the last and most monumental milestone of their time spent at Notre Dame and Saint Mary's.
"I think most importantly, I've grown up a lot over the last four years. I have a much stronger sense of myself, what's important to me, and what I want to do with my life," said Notre Dame senior Joe Napolitano.
"I don't think I could say enough good things, actually. I loved it here, I've had a great time. I know that I've changed over the past four years — I have gained self confidence like no other — I feel like a totally different person than when I came here," said Saint Mary's senior Kelly Sterritt.
For Notre Dame senior Katie Fitzpatrick, the beauty of the campus will be missed.
"I think the coolest thing is running around campus and how beautiful it is," said Fitzpatrick. "I just think it's such a beautiful campus and I appreciate the time that they take to make it such a beautiful place."
Just as the landscape continues to change throughout a student's four years at Notre Dame or Saint Mary's, so do the lives of each of those students with each passing day and year. Yet one thing continues to remain the same — the realization that the four years spent in college will be one of the most influential and momentous experiences of a lifetime.
"My experience at Notre Dame has been a very good one, I wouldn't change it for the world. I've been through a lot of trying times and good times too — and that comes with life," said Notre Dame senior Antione Tobias. The academic experience has also been important in forming and completing the entire college experience for Saint Mary's former student body president, Crissie Renner.
"The knowledge that I've gained from both my peers and the faculty here at Saint Mary's is something that I will carry with me for a long time because I have kind of grown in an environment that inspires me to grow in my knowledge each and every day," said Renner.
The friends met in class, at a party, an SYR, or maybe just by walking around campus are all a part of what makes the experience a rich and unfadable one.
"The most important thing I've learned here are how important friendships are, especially considering the fact that we're not all from the same place — people are from all over the country and we really have to make huge efforts to show each other how much we care," said Notre Dame senior Meagan Burton.
Blizzards, SYR gag gifts, parietals and complaints about gender-relations may find their way in each new class, but the unique place created by each student will have impressed itself on the school in a way that no other possibly could.
"I've definitely enjoyed my experience here, despite any complaints I might have about it, I wouldn't want to change it at all," said John Dickas.
Likewise, the University and the College will notably touch the lives of its students that will surpass both time and distance. "To me Notre Dame means family," said Notre Dame senior Kevin Cherry. "When else in your life are you going to make as many friends with closely knit relationships as you have here at Notre Dame?"
Change is inevitable throughout the passage of time, and for students, four short years have brought with it evolution, and discovery through exploration. To some, moving in as a freshman might have seemed as close as yesterday, but the person they once were then is a long cry from who they are today.
"My Notre Dame experience has been a complete transition, it has been a catalyst. I came in one way, and left another way," said Notre Dame senior Patience McHenry.
"I think for a lot of people, Notre Dame can force you to grow up rather quickly, and maybe for other people it might be really easy to not grow much at all over the four years," said Napolitano.
And now, regardless of how much one has grown or changed, the 2001 graduates are off to travel down their respective paths in life, to embark on what it takes to survive in the real world. But wherever these paths lead, they have at one time or another converged at one common point. The place that was called home for four years served as more than just an academic experience in life. It teaches life-long educational lessons in friendships, responsibility and independence.
All News Stories for Friday, May 18, 2001
