Podcast Ep. 71: A Graduation Celebration to be Thankful For: The Impact of Purdue Global

Kate Young: 

Hi, I’m Kate Young and you are listening to This Is Purdue, the official podcast for Purdue University. As a Purdue alum and Indiana native. I know firsthand about the family of students and professors who are in it together, persistently pursuing and relentlessly rethinking. Who are the next game changers, difference makers, ceiling breakers, innovators? Who are these boilermakers? Join me as we feature students, faculty, and alumni, taking small steps toward their giant leaps and inspiring others to do the same. 

Kelvin Gumbs: 

A lot of us came to Purdue Global because we recognize that we wanted something that really mattered and that was recognized. The goal here is to give us a meaningful learning experience as adult learners, and I think I speak for every single person in this room, there’s not a single one of us here that regretted our Purdue Global experience. So for anyone looking to come to Purdue, get ready for what will be a very academically enriching opportunity. 

Kate Young: 

In this episode of This Is Purdue, we’re talking to five members of the Purdue Global community as they celebrate the October 2022 graduation ceremony held on the Purdue University West Lafayette campus. With over 153 years of making top tier education accessible to all, Purdue University’s accredited and affordable online solution, Purdue Global, is designed for the working adult with life experience and often some college credit, but no degree. If you haven’t listened to our incredible episode with Purdue Global Chancellor Frank Dooley yet, I recommend checking that out first to hear more about Purdue Global in depth, and then coming back to this episode. That’s episode number 67 with Frank Dooley. 

Okay, so the podcast team went behind the scenes at the Purdue Global Black and Gold Reception to hear from both faculty and recent graduates on why they chose Purdue Global. So if the audio sounds a little bit different than it normally does, just know that we’re at a live event celebrating with all of these guests. We captured some amazing stories and you’ll hear more about these guests’ immense pride as they celebrate this monumental location with their loved ones. We’ll start with Melissa Burdie. Melissa is the Dean and Vice President for the School of Nursing at Purdue Global, and she says commencement, feeling the adrenaline with each and every student who walks across that stage is her favorite part of her job. I asked Melissa what it was like to be in person celebrating the Purdue Global graduates. 

Melissa Burdi: 

So much energy, so emotional. Just such a wonderful feeling. I feel so excited for all of our graduates and their families. We have many students, this is their first person in their family graduating for the very first time, and so it’s such a wonderful accomplishment and the energy that you feel when you’re attending graduation, and we have our teams and our faculty that are all in support of our students. It’s just so exciting, just so wonderful. I think tonight, being at graduation, these are always my favorite events. I was just telling members of my team earlier this evening before joining you, how much I love having the opportunity to connect, and it’s connecting with our faculty, our staff. It’s connecting with our students, our graduates, and their families. So this really taps the chart for me, I would say. 

Kate Young: 

She’s right. The excitement at this reception in the Purdue Memorial Union was palpable. The Boilermaker special was there. Families and classmates were taking photos with the 360-degree photo booth, and there was even Harry’s Popcorn. So why is Purdue Global special to not only Melissa, but all of the other graduates and families who were celebrating that evening? 

Melissa Burdi: 

I think it’s special because we go the extra mile. We meet our students where they are at for what their needs look like. Many of our students are working adults, they’re often caring for their children. They may have an older parent that they’re caring for, they’re working, so they’ve got multiple commitments that they’re balancing at the same time, and so it is incumbent upon us to meet them where they’re at and really be that support for them. So I think that’s a differentiator and that’s what makes us special. 

Kate Young: 

There are four different nursing degree programs for Purdue Global, and you can check them all out at purdueglobal.edu. Melissa explains why Purdue Global is in a great position to prepare nursing students for their future workforce needs. See, with an online institution, there’s flexibility, there’s speed, and with the school of nursing, they’re constantly evolving and innovating to match the healthcare landscape. 

Melissa Burdi: 

We’re very humbled by the feedback that we receive from our students, from our alum, but also from our healthcare, our partners, so that’s really what it’s all about. So we want to prepare our graduates for a seamless transition into practice. We want to prepare them so that they are safe providers, they’re resilient, leading with empathy, data-driven, evidence-based. All of those things really matter to us. And so when we have the good fortune of connecting with our healthcare partners, those are the things that they’re sharing with us, and then when our alum come back to us oftentimes to continue their journey for that next program, that’s what we’re hearing from them, and it’s a wonderful moment to hear that type of feedback. It’s positive and we’re really grateful for them. 

Kate Young: 

And what would Melissa say to anyone considering Purdue Global’s nursing school? 

Melissa Burdi: 

I think that it’s really important to take a look at what your life looks like and when you are considering any institution for your higher education, you need to look at what your life looks like and what resources are available, and so for us, it makes sense for those who are often working, right? They’ve got competing priorities and so they can complete all of their learning online, and then any required clinical practices, obviously for nursing, can be done face-to-face. So there’s a balance. So I think it’s what matters most to the individual, and it’s really important to seek an institution that can support them best. 

Kate Young: 

And what is she looking forward to in the future? What are you looking forward to most with the future of Purdue Global? 

Melissa Burdi: 

Ah, that’s a wonderful question. So I have been involved in a lot of innovation. Innovation’s really important to me, not only from an efficiency standpoint, but we do need to be thinking about the evolution of higher education, certainly nursing. So I look forward to continued innovation. I also am just looking forward to seeing our students grow, serving their needs. It’s really important that we take the time to listen. I think active listening is really important, so I’m looking forward to seeing what comes forward from all of that. 

Kate Young: 

For Melissa, it’s all about the students, their families, their children. It’s seeing the future in their faces. She says that’s exactly why she loves her role at Purdue Global so much. Our next story features the Stock family who has ties to both the Purdue University and Purdue Global communities. Vivica Stock is a 1977 Purdue University graduate. Her brother, Carl, is also a graduate of Purdue who went on to work at NASA for over 40 years. Vivica and her family were at the Black and Gold Reception celebrating her son, Daniel, who graduated with his masters of science degree in cybersecurity management. Daniel wasn’t able to join us at the reception, but he enjoyed the in-person commencement ceremony at Purdue University the next day with his family. Vivica explains her family’s Boilermaker story. Tell us about your Boilermaker background. You have a couple different family members and your son just graduated from Purdue Global. Tell us your story. 

Vivica Stock: 

There’s a lot of layers to the story, so let me see if I can do the cliff notes. When my brother and I were graduating from high school, we had a choice of any university that we could go to because our dad worked at the University of Chicago, and with that, we had tuition free anywhere in the United States. My brother went engineering and I was a year younger than my brother, so I would come on weekends here to the university and I thought, “Wow. This is really cool.” We came from a small town. There were 2000 people in our town. We had one stop sign, that was it. So coming to this place, I thought, “Wow.” 

Kate Young: 

Vivica’s brother, Carl, who was a year older than her, was accepted into the NASA internship program his freshman year through Purdue School of Engineering. He received his degree in aeronautical and astronomical engineering. 

Vivica Stock: 

I was always very competitive with him, but I’ll tell you what, my senior year, I wasn’t doing well in physics, and if it hadn’t been for my brother, I’m sure I would’ve had an F in physics, but he pulled me through with a B because he tutored me all semester long. So he went on, got a job with NASA and he worked 42 years. That was his only job. His only job. 

Kate Young: 

So he just loved it there? 

Vivica Stock: 

Loved it. Absolutely loved it. He wrote computer code for the space station and he wrote computer code for the crew recovery vehicle. In case the astronauts had to leave the station really quickly, the ship was to be fully automated, and it was my brother’s software that would fly the ship from space all the way down and land on Earth. 

Kate Young: 

So Daniel, Vivica’s son, grew up with two Boilermakers in the family. He said when he was little, he always wanted to play with his mom’s Purdue ceramic mug in the china cabinet. So when Daniel graduated with his masters, he says he bought a Purdue ceramic mug just like his mom’s. There were two main reasons. Daniel says he chose Purdue Global. First, he said the six week semesters match not only his drive to jump in with both feet, but to also keep his focus on the class and stay motivated. Second, knowing that the professors had recent real world experience with their areas of expertise meant that he wasn’t learning about what technology changes were happening years ago, but the things that were happening right now in the real world, 

Vivica Stock: 

Daniel got a degree in business communications and information systems from University of North Texas in Denton, and he was going along, doing his thing, being an adult, as I call it. So about two and a half years ago, he says, “Mom, I’m thinking about getting a master,” and I said, “Hey, that’s great. What do you want to get it in?” He said, “Cybersecurity,” and I thought, “Well, that’s what he’s doing now.” He’s working with computers and all of that. 

Kate Young: 

Daniel was a non-traditional college student along with thousands of other Purdue Global students. He earned his degree while working at his full-time job as a chief information officer at an online banking mortgage company. He’s also a full-time husband and dad. Daniel told us a story about a Florida family vacation where he had to bring his Purdue Global schoolwork with him. He said he knew that this small investment could lead to more family vacations together in the future ever. Vivica, ever the proud mom, says Daniel graduated with a 4.0 GPA. 

Vivica Stock: 

Growing up, my husband and I were very much task masters with all of our children. You work a plan, you have to figure out how many hours you’re studying, you stick to the plan, you don’t go outside and play. So I know he would say every Thursday night, “Mom, I have class. I have to be online every Thursday night. My papers are due by Sunday.” He’s very analytical, he’s very left brain, and he had it all figured out on his spreadsheet. And he has a very supportive wife. Katie has been absolutely fantastic, his wife, Katie, throughout the whole thing. And they have two little kids who are so happy about their daddy getting a degree. 

Kate Young: 

Now, Daniel says he’s using his knowledge from his time at Purdue Global to make a difference at his current organization, and for Vivica, her son’s ties to the Purdue community means so much to her and her family. What does the Boilermaker community mean to you? You went here, your brother went here, your son’s involved now. What does that mean to you? 

Vivica Stock: 

It kind of makes me really happy and really nervous at the same time because I feel like we have a mantle now that we’re carrying. We want to show the way for other young people coming up, and I know how expensive it is to go to college. We had three children, each one year apart, so we had three kids in college at the same time date. That’s crazy. So I’m part of the LinkedIn group with Purdue, and I see a lot of the graduates. I’m always high fiving. I say, “Man, this is great. No one can ever take education away from you. If you want something you go for and don’t let anyone get in your way. 

Kate Young: 

I love that. No one can ever take your education away from you. Daniel told us it took him nearly 10 years to finally make that decision to get his masters, and it only took him two years to finish his journey. He says find your motivation and you’ll see that getting started is the hardest step. As for Vivica, she was just so happy to be celebrating her son with her entire family in person. 

Vivica Stock: 

So when Daniel finished his degree, I said, “Oh, son, I’m really, really proud of you. Are they going to have in person graduation ceremony?” He says, “Oh, yeah. I think so, but no big deal.” “You will be there. You will be there. I will be there. Everybody in the family’s going to be there because this is non-negotiable. You only get one chance to wear the cap and the gown and be with other graduates and walk the stage,” and now that we can have in-person ceremonies again, he goes, “Okay, mom. I get it. I get it. We’ll go.” 

Kate Young: 

There was no way Vivica was missing this celebration. Up next, we have another Purdue Global graduate who is part of our Purdue University family. Sherry Macquarie is a senior business analyst at Purdue University, and she is most definitely Purdue Global proud. 

Sherry McQueary: 

My Purdue Global experience has been wonderful. It’s provided me with an opportunity that I never had before. I’ve worked at Purdue for 18 years and a few years ago, Purdue purchased Kaplan and that gave us the opportunity to take classes through Purdue Global. It was a challenge for a while. As an older learner, I’d never done anything like that online before, and so there were a few challenges that I had, but then I found that it set me up for success when we went with a pandemic, and we went remote, I had skills that a lot of people didn’t have, and so that made that transition a lot easier for me. 

Kate Young: 

That’s awesome. I know. And it takes a minute to get used to this remote life, right? 

Sherry McQueary: 

Absolutely. It’s a lot different than working in the office. 

Kate Young: 

That’s such an interesting thing Sherry said right there. Attending Purdue Global and learning online actually helped Sherry with those remote work skills most of us needed during the pandemic. For Sherry, persistence means… 

Sherry McQueary: 

Sticking with it and never giving up. I learned to reach out for help when I needed it. It took a village. I had people within my office that I reached out to help me if I didn’t understand how to do some things. I had a lot of help there. And I also found that the professors were wonderful and if I asked them a question, they were always very willing to help. 

Kate Young: 

Sherry says Purdue Global provided her with so many opportunities when she started, she had no college background. With one small step, she earned her associate’s degree, then earned her bachelor’s degree, and now she’s continuing on and is working on a certificate in project management. I asked Sherry, a first generation graduate, what it meant to her to have her family and friends celebrating her amazing achievement right there with her in West Lafayette. What does that mean to your friends and family? Are they just so proud of you? 

Sherry McQueary: 

Oh, they’re very, very proud of me. I’m the first generation that’s a college graduate, so yes, they’re very proud of me and it did take a lot of time and it was a lot of effort. There were of tears a few times, but I kept working at it and I just wanted my children and grandchildren to know that no matter where you are in life, you can grasp what’s ahead of you and make things better. So I’m very proud of myself and I know they’re very proud as well. 

Kate Young: 

I loved hearing about Sherry’s giant leap. Jeffrey Buck is the Dean and Vice president of the School of Business and Information Technology at Purdue Global. I asked Jeffrey how he first found out about Purdue Global. 

Jeffrey Buck: 

Well, this was an opportunity that was so unique for me that I couldn’t pass up. To be able to work with adult students and the accessibility that Purdue Global provides is just remarkable, and so learning about that was something that I couldn’t pass up when the opportunity came my way. It’s extremely humbling to begin with because you look at these students and all the obstacles that they have to overcome and work through, their grit and persistence is just remarkable. It really is humbling for me to be in a situation where I’m a part of their lives and the difference that’s going to happen because of their involvement with Purdue Global. 

Kate Young: 

What does it mean to you to be here tonight celebrating and getting to meet people in person? 

Jeffrey Buck: 

These graduation ceremonies are just what makes it all worth it to be able, to be here and not only see the graduates, but the family members that are here with them, to see the impact that this has on their family members, the ability to celebrate. When I talk with a graduate, I not only congratulate them, but also their family members that are with them because it really is a family contribution and a team effort for this to happen. 

Kate Young: 

What does persistence mean to you? You mentioned that word earlier. 

Jeffrey Buck: 

I did. It is a situation where a person doesn’t stop. They try, try again, try again, and try again. Keeping the goal in mind, knowing that when obstacles happen, it’s not going to be something that stops them, but can you continue on to pursue what the goal and objective would be. 

Kate Young: 

Again and again and again. I also asked him what he is looking forward to most when it comes to the future of Purdue Global. 

Jeffrey Buck: 

The opportunities are just so immense. In the field of IT and business, the disciplines are changing so rapidly, the ability to create career opportunities for students and align with skills that are needed in those fields, there’s just so many opportunities in different programming, different types of offerings that we can have for students. So the future’s stupendously bright. 

Kate Young: 

Do you have a favorite story of any students who have come back to you or any success stories that you want to share with our listeners? 

Jeffrey Buck: 

There are several of those, but there’s a common theme. It’s the opportunity to finish something that because of a reason didn’t happen before, and for many people, that dream of earning a college degree had been something that they thought they lost, but through the accessibility that we provide, these individuals are now able to come back and fulfill that dream, and that means so much, not just for that person, but the legacy that it’s going to mean for their family along down the line. I can think of multiple stories where an individual said, “I came back and I finished this. My kids saw this, and now they’re in college and they’re pursuing a degree and they can see that it’s possible because what I did when I was a student at Purdue Global.” 

Kate Young: 

That’s definitely a theme that Chancellor Dooley talked to us about too. And that leads us to our final special guest, Calvin Gums. Calvin who spent 22 years in the US Navy was among nearly 5,000 active duty National Guard or reserve members serving worldwide while attending Purdue Global. He completed an associate of applied science degree in small group management in 2020 and then earned his bachelor’s in professional studies a year later. I was first introduced to Calvin via email and he immediately told me he was a huge fan of This Is Purdue. I told him, “Well, that’s great because we’d love to feature you on the podcast.” We got to meet in person at the Black and Gold reception. Thank you 

Thank you so much for joining us on This Is Purdue. 

Kelvin Gumbs: 

It’s great to be here. Big fan, as you know, so it’s a high honor. 

Kate Young: 

Oh, I love that. So tell us what it means to you tonight to be celebrating here in West Lafayette, celebrating your graduation, Purdue Global, all the festivities. 

Kelvin Gumbs: 

Absolutely. For me, the first thing that comes to mind, there’s no better example of what shared success looks like and this kind of mutual goal that we’ve all been on. So to be here, it’s a culmination of just something really special for an adult learner. The stakes were really high for adult learners, as you know. So for me, it’s just really exciting. 

Kate Young: 

Not only was Calvin able to celebrate his heart earned pretty global degrees in person in West Lafayette, he was also chosen to be a commencement speaker. 

Kelvin Gumbs: 

For me, to be able to share a little bit of my story, my journey as an adult learner that I know will resonate with many folks, it’s a high honor, but the reality is the stories aren’t that different. What I’ll share is largely going to be a similar journey to the other. So it’s a big honor. 

Kate Young: 

Calvin retired from the Navy with a full military pension after more than two decades of service. He said his decision to retire was solidified as a result of having this Purdue Global education. I asked him how he first discovered Purdue Global. 

Kelvin Gumbs: 

I did a lot of online research trying to figure out exactly what was going to fit me as an adult learner. I had taken a number of classes in the past with a number of other online platform and some mix, and I’ll talk about this during my remarks, but I never felt a connection to the education. As time was ticking closer to my time ending in the Navy, I didn’t know that at the time, I wanted to really find an organization that I felt a connection to. So a lot of research and I thought Purdue Global had everything I was looking for, it was a name I recognized, it was something that I knew to be very special. So it was easy once I did the research and I’m glad I came. 

Kate Young: 

You touched on your military experience a little bit. Thank you for your service. Can you tell our listeners a little bit about your experience? 

Kelvin Gumbs: 

Absolutely. And normally when I’m sharing information about my military experience, I would tell someone, “Well, how much time do you have?” But it’s two words, it was totally awesome. I mean, for over 20 years I had the distinct pleasure of serving in the United States Navy. As a young enlisted man came in at the age of 18 and having opportunities to earn a commission as a naval officer was an incredible journey, the ability to lead serve alongside incredible people in uniform. For me, every day was not easy, extremely challenging, but a real honor and a joy. I’m like any kid from any town USA that joins the military for one reason or another, I personally needed a lot of the structure that it had, and look back 22 years later and it’s like a blink of an eye and I just couldn’t be more thankful for everything that I learned and experienced as a result of being a service member. 

Kate Young: 

Calvin says he believes the name recognition of his Purdue Global education coupled with the military journey he’s been on have prepared him uniquely. So what’s next for Calvin? 

Kelvin Gumbs: 

For me, as I look at the future, having just retiring from the United States Navy, number one, I’m looking for more family time. I’m looking for more opportunities to volunteer, to be a better neighbor, to be a better friend, to be a more engaged member of my community. But again, I want to travel, I want to spend time with my family, I want to reconnect with my wife and my two amazing children, but I’m also really eager for new opportunities. I’ve already started a new career, a leadership safety and performance coach, helping high risk industries develop their leaders, increase their performance, and eliminate safety-related incidents. And for me, I see that as another opportunity to continue serving in the future. So I’m really, really excited. 

Kate Young: 

And what would Calvin say to anyone considering a Purdue Global education? 

Kelvin Gumbs: 

I want to answer this in two ways. Anyone who is looking to be an adult learner, I ask him to do a couple things, be well researched, understand what program you’re trying to enter, and then make sure it makes sense with your future goals. That’s standard advice that I would give to anyone who would ask it of me, and that’s a big ask. Now, if you find yourself at Purdue Global, I will tell you this, get ready for an incredibly enriching experience like I had. It won’t be easy, it’s academically rigorous. The faculty and staff are incredible, but the goal here is to give us a meaningful learning experience as adult learners, and I think I speak for every single person in this room, there’s not a single one of us here that regretted our Purdue Global experience. So for anyone looking to come to Purdue, sharing my experience would be get ready for what will be a very academically enriching opportunity. 

Kate Young: 

Now, what does persistence mean to you? 

Kelvin Gumbs: 

And I’ve been thinking a lot about that as I see it. For me, I’ll make it quick, it’s about grit, it’s about determination, it’s about giving it your best day in and day out, but on a consistent basis. That’s persistence. And ultimately the goal of being persistent is that you make things better. So that’s what it means to me. 

Kate Young: 

I love that word, grit. 

Kelvin Gumbs: 

Yeah, absolutely. 

Kate Young: 

Okay. There’s one little behind the scenes moment with Calvin that I have to share. He told me his family was listening to our This Is Purdue podcast episode with Purdue Global Chancellor Frank Dooley on their way to West Lafayette to celebrate commencement, his daughter, Gladys, then piped in, “Dad, haven’t we already listened to this episode?” That is the ultimate compliment to this podcast team when an episode is so good, you listen more than once. So since this episode comes out Thanksgiving week, we ask each of our special Purdue Global guests what they’re thankful for this year. Here’s Melissa. What are you thankful for this year? 

Melissa Burdi: 

I love that question and it’s a really easy answer. First, I want to say I’m very thankful to my team, to all of our faculty, to all of our staff, to all of our leadership. I am equally as grateful to our students for choosing us. I am so grateful. Thank you all to all of our students across the United States who really want to be a part of Purdue Global School of Nursing. It gives me great joy and I really feel fulfilled each and every day. And it never feels like work because it’s passion. So when you get to live your passion every day, it’s just such a gift. But I would be remiss if I didn’t say that I was thankful for my family. I have a lot of wonderful family, many sisters, my parents, but there are three people in my life that I am just most grateful for, and that’s my husband, my daughter, and my son. That support, that circle of support is just so awesome. So thank you to everyone. I guess I’m just really grateful. 

Kate Young: 

And Vivica. What are you thankful for this year? 

Vivica Stock: 

This is going to sound funny. I’m thankful that we had a pandemic because it shook me awake that I needed to stop working, spend more time with family, more time with my husband. We were both very much workaholics. We did live surgeries. When the pandemic came, you couldn’t go in hospitals, there were no elective surgeries and there were no conventions and no banquets, none of that. So for me, I was thankful that happened. So my husband and I are remodeling a home and we’re traveling and we’re getting to see our grandchildren more and enjoy them growing up. So that’s what I’m thankful for. 

Kate Young: 

Well, that’s it. Think kind of life slowed down a little. 

Vivica Stock: 

Yes, yes, very much. 

Kate Young: 

And here’s Jeffrey. 

Jeffrey Buck: 

I really do feel blessed to be in a position where I can be part of this. You see the impact that Purdue Global has on the lives of individuals, and again, just the humbleness and the feeling that I have of being a part of this I really am grateful and feel blessed to have. 

Kate Young: 

And Sherry. What are you most thankful for this year? 

Sherry McQueary: 

I’m just most thankful for my family and all the support that I had, as well as my work family who supported me. 

Kate Young: 

Finally, Calvin shares what he’s most thankful for. 

Kelvin Gumbs: 

Obviously, my family. I have an amazing family that’s been alongside me for the majority of my military career. So my wife is amazing and my wonderful children are just incredible. So I’m thankful for my family and they’re incredible support. Kate, I have incredible friends and I’m so thankful for friendship, I’m so thankful for the opportunities that I’ve had in the past to serve our nation as a Navy sailor, but I’m also really thankful for what the future holds, and I’m incredibly eager to learn new things, see new things, and as a result, be better for it. So that’s what I’m thankful for. And you know what? I’m thankful to be here with you actually having a conversation with you on a podcast that I’m a fan of. So I have a lot to be thankful for, and I’m just eager to see what the holidays bring for us and the future. 

Kate Young: 

On that note, we’ll leave you with Calvin’s full Purdue Global commencement speech. Enjoy. 

Kelvin Gumbs: 

It was given advice to me a moment ago to just take a breath and take it all in, so I did that and I feel much better. Thank you, Chancellor Dooley, board of trustees, distinguished faculty, exceptional staff, awesome families, and especially all of you, the graduating class. It is my humble honor to be here with you today on this most amazing location addressing this most amazing and unique group of graduates, all of you, Purdue University Global graduates. Congratulations and please a round of applause again. 

It was great to see so many of you at the Black and Gold celebration last night. That was a great time, and I feel that that party could have gone to midnight if they let us. So it was amazing to see so many of you there. I also want to note how amazing the campus looks. It’s inspiring to walk the ground, see the buildings, and better understand the storied history of Purdue University. The staff here is so committed to their work and they have gone above and beyond to make this day so special for us all. So please, another round of applause. 

So I want to manage some expectations here. I’ve rehearsed this speech a number of times to the point where my wife said, “That’s enough, Calvin.” So I estimate that it’s going to last 11 minutes, 40 seconds, that includes this PSA, some applause that have already taken place, the potential for booing and some yawning. So bear with me, but I must warn you, I’m a career Navy sailor, a crowd, a microphone, and some dedicated time is a recipe for me to go on and on telling you tall tales of the sea. They’re also known as sea stories that normally start with, “There I was,” or, “This is the no kidding truth,” but I recognize that I am standing between you and this much earned moment and the celebrations that will span throughout the day, and for some, well into the night. I know I’m taking the late flight tomorrow. So let us get started. 

Like all of you, my journey as an adult student has been unique. The journey for us all has been uniquely challenging. We have individually faced varying degrees of difficulty along the way, but the end state is the same, through challenge, sacrifice and persistence, we’re here together today as Purdue University Global graduates and Purdue family, having earned this truly world class education. Folks, our persistence paid off. Please, a round of applause for all of us. If you will, allow me to briefly share with you a bit of my own journey that made my Purdue University Global experience so special. I hope it resonates and it’s also relevant. I was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, moved to the US, Oklahoma. There I am with my twin brother. When we moved, we were 10 years old. I had no English vocabulary. Fast forward, graduated high school in 2000. My first rational decision as a young adult at 18 years old, enlist in the US Navy. 

I must admit, and if he’s watching, he may shake his head, but that was not something that was in my father’s plan for me at all. You see, at the time my siblings had already been or were heading to university, but I knew myself well enough then to know someone would be left holding an expensive bill and me with no degree at that time, so it made sense to join the Navy for what I thought would be four years, little adventure, and then I’d return home. Not so much. So fast forward and in the blink of an eye, a relatively successful career in the Navy elapsed, taking me on a journey from junior enlisted sailor to naval officer, having the high honor of working with and leading amazing service members, and it was a true joy and adventure of a lifetime. 

However, for 18 of my 22 years in uniform in the Navy, I had no academic direction. This may resonate. Bouncing around different colleges, universities, gathering credits here and there, trying CLEP exams, talking to advisors from a variety of other universities. All of this while moving PCSs, duty stations, and the list goes on, but never having a feeling of a connection to the degree that I was trying to earn. I had an appetite for education and time was ticking, but I wanted my education to matter. I wanted to have a feeling of belonging ,and more importantly, I wanted it to be recognized. 

In early 2018, I had just returned home from an aircraft carrier deployment and I was now back home at the Super Hornet master jet base on the West Coast of the US, and amidst the jet noise and the smell of jet fuel, I was having a conversation with the workmate. He was a chief petty officer at the time, and I was a CWO. His name’s Jeremy. You see him there. He’s super sharp, he’s incredibly smart and brutally honest. One day Jeremy asked me about my educational goals. He already had his degree. So we revisited this conversation a few times and me giving him one lame excuse after another as to why I was on my butt, and he finally says to me, “Sir, you going to get off your butt and get a degree or what?” That resonated with me and it hit me. 

So at that moment, I buckled down and I started to research educational opportunities that fit my needs as an adult learner, active duty service member, husband, father, neighbor, volunteer, and as you all know, the list goes on and on. After much research, I found Purdue Global, and after talking to advisors and upon completing my first class, it was apparent. I found exactly, like many of you, exactly what I was looking for and knew then I had no reason to look back. It was in fact full steam ahead. And I got to admit, I did appropriate that full steam ahead comment after I saw it painted on the side of Ross-Ade Football Stadium, so drawing inspiration with every step walking around this campus. 

That said, as an adult student, like many of you know, one never feels quite out of the woods. Life happens quickly, and the curricula here was plain tough, challenging, requiring true mental toughness and discipline. So at times I was not sure how this would truly end. This point may resonate with you indeed. During both of my degrees, many times personally, I woke up in a sweat in the middle of the night wondering, “Did I submit that paper or complete that project? Did I meet that deadline or did I respond to that board posting?” As you all know, it all matters to us. The stakes for adult earners are always high. Sometimes I’d be sitting at work diligently working on a major project, on a hot tasker, just to look down at my watch and realize I got online seminar in 30 minutes. So there I was rushing home just to jump on. I would come through the door like a tornado, grabbing headsets and everything else, but it’s what we had to do. 

These type of competing requirements surely increased the complexity of our college experience. But we welcome that challenge. But I must say the support from faculty, staff was exceptional, which I’m sure helped me, just like many of you, ultimately achieve this degree. I would also be remiss if I did not highlight the families, the friends, for their incredible support, truly remarkable support by all of them. Please, another round of applause for the faculty, staff, family, and friends for their unwavering support. 

Allow me to take a step back and put this education experience into context. As I mentioned before, having enjoyed some relative success in the Navy over my 22 years, working in high performing teams, supporting senior officers, and leading amazing sailors across exciting missions from the Pacific to the European Theatre, and I even had an opportunity to serve in the Pentagon. And while I enjoyed success and while I always had a seat at the table and I was always counted on to deliver, provide advice and counsel, I always felt not on the same level because I was lacking in education while many I worked with and for were already highly educated people. But you see, Purdue University Global solved that for me, putting me on what I felt was beyond an even educational playing field. 

But as it turned out, like many of you know, it was about so much more. This journey for us has been truly about self-discovery, learning about the delicate act that is balance, deep commitment to achieving meaningful personal goals, setting positive examples for our family, our kids, as to what it means to complete these meaningful life goals. Like many of you, I have always felt such a sense of pride telling people I was attending Purdue University Global. 

Sea Story. I arrived at my last assignment in the Navy and after a few weeks get settled in, start putting out some personal effects on my desk, and in a conversation with a workmate naval officer, call sign Jinx, it became apparent to him that I was affiliated with Purdue. I knew I liked him. So as it turned out, he graduated in 1997 from Purdue University main campus. So another day goes by, maybe more, and Jinx tells another workmate, another naval aviator with a storied history, call sign Tag, and he says, “Hey, did you know Kelvin’s a Boilermaker?” As it turned out, Tag graduated class of 1991 from Purdue University right here. From that moment forward, and we had a lot of fun with this, we became known as the Purdue Mafia and we got a lot done. There they are. 

So they were there as friends cheering me on as I completed my degrees and I was truly filled with that shared sense of accomplishment. Glad those Boilermakers were there with me. You see, this education from many of us has afforded us opportunities to promote in current jobs, pivot to new careers, learn new skills. For me personally, it gave me the courage to pursue a new chapter in life, retiring from the Navy for more family time, travel, more time to volunteer, and a new career in leadership, performance and safety, coaching and consulting, another opportunity to serve. So with all that said, allow me to make some final but significant points that I think will bring all of this into clarity. These points are mainly focused on being a Boilermaker. Some of this commentary may be familiar, but I want you to take a moment and stop to reflect on and find the light in the enriching and fulfilling journey that you have been on up to this point. 

That same grit and determination you used to achieve this degree will serve you well and continue to set you apart moving forward. I know this. Reflect on what this affiliation with Purdue University has meant and what you continue to represent, a brand that matters. Reflect on the wide and positive impact the Boilermakers make and have made here on Earth, in space and throughout history. You see, we now join a lineage of amazing servant leaders across many trades that have called Purdue their home and family. Now we got to stay firmly in the reality, and the reality is this, that higher education of the caliber that is Purdue University Global, will have others hold you at a higher standard. You see, we are among the most trusted because of the quiet and humble professionalism we represent, and always remain mindful that being Purdue University Global alumni comes with the task that you remain relentlessly resourceful and gritty as you continue that persistent pursuit of greatness because we know better than anyone else, persistence matters. 

It comes with the task that you remain agile and a critical thinker, to help industries solve complex problems, because we are in fact, among the most innovative. It comes with the task that you remain committed to planning diligently for success day in and day out so you can keep taking those giant leaps. It comes with a task that you welcome challenge with confidence. You see, as leaders in the workforce, we will all build winning cultures because we recognize that togetherness does in fact matter, and in the end, when you look back, knowing that you were consistent in this approach, get excited. Get excited about how you will continue to lead and serve in life every single day with courage, professionalism, and humility because you’re representing this strong and reputable institution of learning, because you’re Boilermakers and we’re family, Purdue family. 

Last point: Keep finding your Boilermaker family and build those meaningful and lasting relationships based on those common attributes of humility, trust, and professionalism. And by the way, this should not be hard with an alumni network of almost 600,000 Boilermakers out there. So when you see that Black and Gold P or that Purdue Global logo at the airport, Walmart, the mall, or a gas station, go ahead, let it out. It feels good. Boiler up. Hail Purdue. They will surely respond back in kind. 

All right, Boilermakers. So I think that about covers it from my perspective, but I’d like to keep it in the educational theme. So I’d like to ask if there’s any questions or anything needing clarity from our discussion here today. I see no hands, so we’ll call that perfect. Chancellor Dooley, distinguished faculty, exceptional staff, we have something so special here, truly unlike any other university, so please accept our collective and sincere thanks for your leadership in all you do to make our educational dreams and goals are reality. Graduating class, again, congratulations to each and every one of you on this truly amazing and magnificent accomplishment. I’m wishing you all the very best for the future. Hail Purdue Global. Boiler up. Thank you very much. 

Kate Young: 

We had an absolute blast celebrating the Purdue Global community at the Black and Globe Reception. Congrats to all of the Purdue Global graduates. If you’d like to learn more about Purdue Global, please visit purdueglobal.edu. Thanks for listening to This Is Purdue. For more information on this episode, visit our website at purdue.edu/podcast. There you can head over to your favorite podcast app to subscribe and leave us a review. And as always, boiler up.