Countdown to Commencement - April 14

OWU held its Countdown to Commencement event on Tuesday, April 14th, in Merrick 301. Students could drop in anytime between 9:30 AM and 4:30 PM, and the whole process took about 30 minutes to complete.

Visiting around 2:30 PM after class, the event was not too crowded, which made it easy to move between tables without having to wait. This is important for seniors because, with graduation approaching, many students are not aware of all the steps they need to complete before the graduation ceremony. 

Upon arrival, the students were given a checklist and had to check in with the various departments and get a checkmark to complete their checklist.

The Registrar table was there to make sure students had completed their graduation checklist, including submitting their graduation application and credits.

The Student Accounts table checked that there were no outstanding balances or money owed to the university.

The Hobson Library table was there to make sure nothing needed to be returned before graduation.

The bookstore table was set up so seniors could buy their graduation gowns and caps. 

The Career Connection table was there to ask seniors about their plans after graduation and to let students know that they will continue to be available to help with job applications and other career-related processes even after graduation.

The Mowry Alumni Center table was there to gather contact information from people so they could keep the graduating students connected with their class and the OWU alumni network and maintain a relationship with the university going forward. This is a good initiative because a lot of seniors leave college feeling uncertain about what comes next, and knowing that there are resources still available to them after they leave takes some of that pressure away.

One table that stood out was the Accessibility Services table, which was there to make sure that any special accommodations needed for guests attending graduation could be arranged in advance. This included things like special parking spots. This is something a lot of people do not think about, but it is important for students who have family members and guests who need accessibility support during the ceremony. This showed that OWU pays importance to making sure that everyone is included and accommodated. 

Senior year at OWU can be a lot to manage as students are dealing with final classes, job applications, and uncertainty after graduation. Events like Countdown to Commencement are important because they let seniors take care of everything in one go instead of going office to office. The drop in format also made it easy for students to fit it into their day without having to commit to a specific time.

For OWU seniors, this event is a reminder that graduation involves more than just finishing classes. There are financial holds, library returns, account balances, and career surveys that all need to be completed before the university clears a student to graduate. Missing any of these steps can delay graduation, which is something no senior wants to deal with.

Overall, this event is a great practice by OWU as it allows students to check in and make sure that all requirements are met to ensure a successful graduation ceremony.