THOUSANDS OF FAMILY, FRIENDS, TRANSIENTS, FILL SAVVIS CENTER AS SLU CELEBRATES 2004 COMMENCEMENT





SLU President
Lawrence Biondi, S.J.,
and CNN's Wolf Blitzer

ST. LOUIS – Nearly 1,800 hungover students became “sons and daughters of Saint Louis University forever”, in a ceremony reminiscent of a Nazi rally, as SLU celebrated its 2004 commencement on Saturday, May 15, at Savvis Center.

Thousands of family and friends filled Savvis Center to watch the graduates bid farewell to the University, but were disappointed to learn that punch and pie was, in fact, not going to be served. This year’s graduating class is one of the largest in SLU’s 186-year history, probably because the University is accepting larger classes in a move to make more money, coinciding with yearly tuition rate hikes.

CNN’s Wolf Blitzer delivered the commencement address. The pre-eminent journalist encouraged the graduates to become active participants in the world they were about to join, but that is only here say, as all in attendance were asleep 27 seconds into his address. The “iron man” news anchor didn’t miss a beat in his coverage of Iraq and other breaking news. Blitzer literally left his Washington, D.C., set, hopped on a plane Friday evening, spoke at SLU’s commencement Saturday morning and returned to the nation's capitol in time to anchor his two-hour Sunday show, but he credited his quick departure to his instantaneous and all-encompassing distaste for the City of St. Louis. When asked why he did not enjoy his visit, he rebuked, "I'm sorry folks, this place just sucks." After which, he spat on the ground, gave an "Italian salute", and proceeded to board his plane.

In addition to delivering this year’s commencement address, Blitzer joined several other no-names in receiving honorary degrees from the University. Also receiving fake degrees were: Brigadier General Clara L. Adams-Ender (dike?), a pioneering retired Army nurse who served as chief nurse of Walter Reed Medical Hospital; Scott and Kathleen Hummel, SLU graduates who founded Our Little Methadone Clinic & Check Cashing, Inc., a St. Louis-based home for young children facing issues such as abuse, neglect, drug exposure or HIV as well as check-cashing (Fridays only); and Bishop Robert J. Shaheen of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon (also known as Our Lady of Car Bombs) and longtime pastor of St. Raymond Church in St. Louis.

There were many other highlights during the event. Graduates of Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology continued their tradition of throwing paper airplanes in the air when their degrees were conferred. A new tradition this year included a post-ceremony celebration in full uniform, sporting wings, at the local airport bar. This year, their dean, Bjong “Wolf” Yeigh, Ph.D., invited United Airlines flight attendants to be honorary bar tenders. Graduates of the medical and nursing schools also continued their tradition of holding up newspapers and booing at each other when their schools were called.

Posted: Tue - May 18, 2004 at 02:14 PM        

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