Commencement ceremonies celebrate nearly 1,800 summer, fall graduates

Northwest Missouri State University honored its winter graduates during two commencement ceremonies Friday at Bearcat Arena that celebrated the knowledge and skills the students gained and the journey that still lies ahead for them.

“Today, we celebrate a milestone, a day of accomplishment, reflection and new beginnings,” Northwest President Dr. Lance Tatum said during his remarks for graduates and their families. “As we look across this arena floor, we recognize not only the knowledge you have gained, but also the values, character and resilience you have sown during your time at Northwest. It is in this moment of transition I am reminded of a timeless truth: Life operates much like a harvest. What we reap is a direct result of what we sow.”

Each graduate’s degree attainment, Tatum noted, is the result of countless hours of study, perseverance, commitment, discipline and a willingness to grow. Those values and habits, he said, will pay dividends as the graduates’ careers take shape.

“The education you have received is a seed that can grow into innovations, solutions and contributions that extend far beyond yourself,” Tatum said. “Be bold in your dreams and generous in your contributions, knowing that even the smallest effort can yield a magnificent harvest.”

Northwest’s commencement ceremonies celebrated 1,791 students - ranging in age from 19 to 69 - who completed degrees last summer and this fall. Northwest awarded 510 bachelor’s degrees, 1,065 master’s degrees and 216 education specialist degrees.

Business management was the most common bachelor’s degree among the graduates. Applied computer science, information systems, and education leadership: K-12, were the most common master’s degrees.

Geographically, the graduates represented 42 states with nearly 70 percent of them hailing from locations in Missouri. Northwest celebrated 380 international graduates, representing 15 different countries.

View the 2024 Winter Commencement photo gallery

About Northwest Missouri State University

Northwest is a coeducational, primarily residential four-year university that offers a broad range of undergraduate and selected graduate programs on its Maryville campus and through Northwest Online.

Founded in 1905 and ranked by U.S. News and World Report among the top public regional universities in the Midwest, Northwest boasts a high retention rate and a graduation rate in the 95th percentile among its peers. Additionally, results of the Ruffalo Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory show Northwest students are more satisfied than students at national peers, and 78 percent of Northwest students report they would repeat their University experience, compared to 75 percent of students surveyed nationally at their respective institutions.

Furthermore, the University is a national model for student success and career placement with 93 percent of bachelor’s degree earners and 99 percent of master’s degree earners securing employment or continuing their education within six months of completing a degree at Northwest, according to the most recent data. 

Northwest places a high emphasis on profession-based learning to help graduates get a jumpstart on their careers while maintaining competitively low tuition rates and generous financial assistance to help minimize the financial barriers students may face when pursuing a college degree.

Students have opportunities to build their résumés with experiences on campus in nearly every area of study, including the Horace Mann Laboratory School, National Public Radio affiliate KXCV, the R.T. Wright Farm, Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area or Knacktive, a student-driven integrated digital marketing communications agency. In conjunction with its emergency and disaster management program, Northwest organizes and hosts Missouri Hope, an annual mass casualty training exercise that attracts first responders and emergency workers from throughout the nation and provides hands-on training in preparation for a natural disaster.

The University’s vibrant and diverse learning community also offers more than 150 student organizations, and textbooks and a laptop are included in tuition, which saves students an estimated $6,800 over four years. Northwest offers 1,200 student employment positions, allowing students to build professional skills through its internationally benchmarked student employment program. 

For more information about Northwest, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/aboutus/facts/.