INTRODUCTION TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE FALL 2011

STUDENT COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

Chair Cloyd, Members of the Board of Trustees, President Wong:

One of the special components of tomorrow’s graduation ceremonies is the student speaker’s commencement address.  I am pleased to introduce the young woman who was selected as the student who will address the graduates tomorrow, Ms. Lauren Fusilier.

Please join me, Lauren.

Lauren enrolled at NMU as a transfer student in the fall of 2009.  She is from Stockbridge, Michigan.  Lauren is an Elementary and Special Education—Emotional Impairment major, with a minor in Psychology.  She will graduate summa cum laude tomorrow. 

Lauren has been involved on-campus with the Circle K organization and the Invisible Children movement.  Through her work with the NMU chapter of the Student Michigan Education Association, Lauren assisted with blood drives, bone marrow registry drives, and collecting school supplies for local children.  She and her husband spent last Spring Break volunteering at an orphanage in Central Mexico. While attending Northern, she was employed through Lakestate Industries as a respite care provider for children with disabilities and worked with two local families who have children with disabilities.

Lauren reports that her most exhilarating experience at Northern was representing the student body and the School of Education during the WiMAX demonstration held for President Obama last February.

Lauren just finished her student teaching in Mason, Michigan.  She plans to substitute teach next semester while she waits for her official teacher certification.  She is hoping to find a special education position for next fall near Lansing.

The theme of Lauren’s address tomorrow is the need to do hard things:  deal with fierce competition in the real world, make difficult choices and firm resolutions, and turn words into actions.

Chair Cloyd, I believe you have a presentation to make.