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Elgin College held its 169th graduation ceremony Friday night, the last time diplomas were awarded to students in the college’s 185-year history.
The summer class of 2024 has 11 graduates, many of whom are “lifelong students” who have attended the historic school since kindergarten. They completed graduation requirements a year early so that they will receive their Elgin College diplomas by the end of this month.
“I’m really happy to be here. I’m trying not to cry,” graduate Brayden Cece said. “(Elgin College) will always be a part of my memory.”
His mother, Suzy Cece, taught English at the school for 17 years. Her family, including husband Brian and Brayden’s sister Alexia (Class of 2017), attended the ceremony, which she called “bittersweet.”
“It’s sad for sure, but in a way it’s a good feeling that he’s graduating this year,” Suzy Cece said.
Alumni Olivia Gouge and Anne Matusiak, both members of the Class of 2023, came out to cheer on their friends and say goodbye to the school one last time.
“I thought they put the whole graduation ceremony together really well,” Guger said. “It looked like they carried on with all the graduation traditions, and it was a great way to end it.”
The ceremony was emotional despite the shadow of the school’s closure. College officials announced in November that the 2023-24 academic year would be its last, and confirmed this week that the school would be sold to a company that plans to open a new campus. Burhan Academy is an Islamic K-12 schoolthe transaction will be completed by the end of the month.
Doug Sept, assistant dean of academic affairs, said in his commencement address that the summer 2024 graduates have worked beyond expectations over the past year and faced the challenge of completing their education before the university’s impending closure.
“They have learned how to survive adversity, a quality that will serve them well in the future,” he said.
Sept quoted philosopher Heraclitus: “The only constant in life is change.”
He said: “Change is part of our lives from the moment we are born. It is woven into the fabric of our lives and shapes our experiences, choices and journeys. The world around graduates has changed significantly in terms of technology, social norms and world events, including the coronavirus pandemic, but graduates have adapted.
“It can be daunting and it can be unsettling, but it’s also where the magic happens. It’s in these moments of change that we discover our true potential and our capacity for greatness.”
Jennifer Sampson, a 1988 graduate and a teacher at the Academy’s Middle School, gave the commencement address.
Elgin College is an idyllic world for students, Sampson said. It’s not the real world, but “as a product of the idealism of this place, you can now live in the real world. In a world that encourages your fear, be brave enough to love others. In a world that encourages selfishness, be strong enough to help others.”
“You, our final graduating class, are ready as only a campus full of idealists and dreamers can prepare you. You are ready,” she said.
“What makes EA different from other schools is that it’s more than just a school. It’s truly a community,” said Valedictorian Quinten Padula.
“Forever Hilltoppers,” Acting President Paul Druzinsky said in his closing remarks before the graduates, their families and guests sang the Elgin College Hymn one final time.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
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