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�Ͼ�Ʒ�� recognized 530 undergraduate and graduate students at Commencement ceremonies May 9 at Saint Paul RiverCentre. 

More than half of �Ͼ�Ʒ��’s class of 2026 earned Latin honors. Thirty-eight percent were first-generation students. Thirty-six percent are students of color.

Before Saturday’s Commencement, we asked some of our graduates what was most memorable about their �Ͼ�Ʒ�� experience, the lessons they learned, and what’s next. Here are highlights:

Undergraduate students

Ben Thorfinnson, BA, education with social studies-history concentration

“I really enjoyed the liberal arts education. I knew that I was going to be doing social studies so I really wanted to have a very wide breadth of education. I feel like that personally makes me a more well-rounded individual and I think it's beneficial for everyone.

“I'm going to be doing my student teaching in the fall. After that, things are kind of up in the air. I'm really thinking about getting my master's, either in education or in library sciences.”

Elijah Jamison, BA, criminology and criminal justice

“The community-building at �Ͼ�Ʒ�� was memorable. I played football, so it was about having that camaraderie, being with my friends. Another moment was winning the [Paint] Bucket. We played Macalester College for the Bucket and we won it my sophomore year. That was a big moment. Another moment would be today – graduating – putting in all the work and having it pay off now.

“I’ve been working with youth since I got out of high school. I still want to work with youth. I’m hoping to work at a juvenile correction center. If I am being a good influence on them, then hopefully that tears them away from committing crimes or doing bad behavior.”

Jessica Vo, BS, biology

“I came to �Ͼ�Ʒ�� as a commuter student. It was hard making friends. I knew I wanted to do biology but I did not know what area in particular. I went to conferences with my principal investigator. It was super cool to be able to do research with her and do one-on-one training at that level. After doing research with my PI and another labmate, that was when I started to develop those connections more. I’m really grateful for them. 

“Do things outside of your comfort zone. Once you push yourself past your limits, you’ve become a different individual. You build your confidence and your skills. It is also really just fun to try new things. I am going to study pharmacy at the University of Minnesota in the fall.”

Anders Anthonisen-Brown, BS in physics and BA political science

“One memorable experience was getting to go to the National Conference for Undergraduate Research in Long Beach. That was a really good experience – getting to see what undergraduate research can do, and then getting to experience the community.

“With a liberal arts education, you get a lot of diverse learning. You don’t get stuck on one kind of subject and then get burned out. You get to learn a lot of interesting things and use different skills. I’ve definitely become a better writer than I would have if I was just doing pure STEM classes the whole time. I’ve had to interact with language in different ways.

“I’m not entirely sure if I’m going into research, but it was definitely an important step for getting me to where I am now. Over the summer, I am going to be working at the Hennepin County materials lab doing quality assurance for road construction.

Graduate students

Matthew Hendrickson, MA in education: natural science and environmental education

“I just love the vibe at �Ͼ�Ʒ��. I was online but there were chances for me to go in person. I was able to go to the Osprey Wilds [Environmental Learning Center] for a lot of my elective credits. Getting the hands-on experience, being able to critically think through normal experiences, and teaching that to people we are targeting are some of the biggest things I’m taking away from �Ͼ�Ʒ��.

“I’m looking into teaching at local community colleges. I’m also looking into the resilience side of outdoor recreation. I’m a resiliency integrator and master sergeant in the Air Force. In the military there’s a big call for building resilience within military members. I focused on how to use environmental science and outdoor recreation to a counterpart in the military. 

“In the military we’re often outside; sometimes we’re in offices. What we do have in common is the natural landscape around our base in Minnesota. Being outside is a gateway to help build resilience, and build that camaraderie and teamwork while learning about our local area.”

Sarah Nissen, MPA

“I am in city administration, but I’m not a city manager. I would like to be a city manager eventually. �Ͼ�Ʒ�� was a top choice for other people in my field. Everyone pointed me toward �Ͼ�Ʒ��.

“I had a great cohort of classmates who brought a lot of great discussion into the coursework. The faculty was fabulous. The core part of our coursework was the four pillars of public administration: Equity, economy, efficiency and effectiveness. That’s really the foundation of how I approach public service now. I really thank �Ͼ�Ʒ�� for that firm foundation and teaching me how to actually be an effective public servant.

“Everyone at �Ͼ�Ʒ�� is there to make sure your experience is successful for you. It is a balance between doing schoolwork and work, but you can do it.”

Corey Soderquist, MBA

“�Ͼ�Ʒ��’s MBA program is available on-site. I didn’t want to get an MBA virtually because I did my entire bachelor’s degree virtually during COVID-19. I wanted to be able to interact with students and faculty. That was great. The schedules and courses offered were very beneficial for me to learn and increase my management and business aptitude. The professors and instructors are really helpful in explaining things well. I never really felt like I was by myself.

“I enjoyed being able to do a lot of group projects and work with people with more diverse backgrounds. Whether that diversity was cultural or work-related, being able to think about things differently really helped. Learning how to adapt and work together is something I’ll definitely take away. 

“I am a maintenance manager for a coffee company and the plan is to work that more into a director-level position. I have been working full-time and in school full-time for the last six years so I’m going to try to enjoy my summer. After that, I will try to grow my team’s responsibilities and continue to develop in the roles and opportunities presented to me.”

Aimee Doyle: MA in education: natural science and environmental education

“I am a single mom and I have three kids who’ll be in the audience. Having my program all online was really easy for me to accomplish. I had started my master’s in agriculture pretty much right out of college when I got pregnant with my son. Now, 12 years later, he gets to watch me graduate. And his sisters get to watch me too.

“I have a passion for residential camping and gardening. I’m a master gardener. I’m translating everything that I Iove into something very niche. With residential camping, I’m seeking employment in that field – directorship, assistant directorship. For my project I had been working with the mental health of camp counselors so that has been really cool to investigate. There are some PhD programs that I did not know existed, so I might continue on and see what happens.

“Just stick it out. You don’t have to go fast to go far. That’s what I tell my kids. When we were driving in and saw all the undergraduates, my son said, “Is that what it will look like when I graduate?” I said, ‘Yep. In just a few short years, you’ll be there, too.’ I hope he chooses �Ͼ�Ʒ��.”