Commencement

When you think about the differences between the lives of the students attending Westminster in the spring of 1973 and those graduating in May of 2023,the contrasts are stark. Students in 1973 couldn’t conceive of having a computer in their home, much less carrying one in their hand. The average cost of a gallon of gas was only 39 cents, compared to $3.99 today.

Think too, of the jobs that today’s students find themselves preparing for that didn’t even exist when Westminster began,like web analyst, app developer, genetic counselor, and cyber security specialist.

Nonetheless, this year’s graduating class still had much in common with students from 1973. The students were full of joy and gratitude, hope and excitement. They came from families who had sought a place of belonging that would instill more than just the knowledge that books, classrooms, and science labs could provide.

The class of 2023 held dreamers and seekers, athletes and scholars, artists and actors, though none were confined to just that role. Some had been together since preschool, and some had only arrived in time for their senior year, but all had a place of belonging and significance with each other. On a beautiful May weekend they gathered together with their families and friends to worship together one last time as they celebrated baccalaureate and commencement.

Commencement signifies not the end of something, but the beginning. The class of 2023’s time at Westminster is at an end, but now they set out to discover what the Lord is calling them to do. They are going on to study subjects like biology, cyber security, philosophy, digital animation, theater, and so much more. They will be as close to Westminster as right up the street and as far away as New York, and eventually they will land wherever it is that God calls them. We know they will be taking the lessons they learned – in the classrooms, on the fields, on the stage, and all the places in between – out into the world to share God’s Word and be His light on their college campuses and beyond.

Congratulations, graduates. We can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store for you.