It’s mid-May and the beginning of graduation season
Here we are in the middle of May and graduation season has begun once again.
It is hard to imagine that I was once a high school graduate and then a college graduate four years later.
I have watched so many people I love walk and accept diplomas over the years wearing shiny gowns and mortarboards.
Side note: My inner bling goddess wishes we were able to decorate our mortarboards back in the day.
My younger cousins have all graduated college and our oldest nephew just finished his first year at my alma mater Villanova.
My goddaughter just received her white coat at veterinary school. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware and now is finishing her last year of vet school in the mid-west.
I watched the white coat ceremony and have studied the picture of her at the ceremony so many times.
What happened to the infant I held in church during her baptism? Or to the toddler who came running out of her aunt’s house asking if Gabe was my boyfriend? Or the angsty teenager who’s smart alecky ways reminded me way too much of myself?
She has always loved animals. And since she was a little kid, she has said she wanted to be a veterinarian. When it comes to animals, my goddaughter has the patience of a saint.
She has worked hard to get where she is at this moment. She worked in vets’ offices, cared for animals for vacationing people, worked in a zoo or two and helped with animal care at University of Delaware.
Her commitment to the care and well-being to animals of all sizes is astounding.
It was only when she told me years ago that she was looking into vet school and explained the application process that I truly appreciated how competitive veterinarian school acceptance rates are in the United States.
I am so proud of her.
On a local level, Hammonton and St. Joe students are preparing for prom and graduation. This year is so different than last. There is more optimism in the planning.
Rather than a senior trip to Florida, the seniors will have five day trips. Yes, this is more planning in some ways but it will allow more students to go especially those who could not afford to go to Florida.
Hammonton’s prom will be held on the school’s grounds. How cool is that? And now with restrictions lifting, both juniors and seniors will have a prom this year.
This year includes St. Joseph Academy’s first graduation. The “new-old” school has accomplished a lot in its first year.
Stockton, Rowan and all our local and area universities are hosting their own celebrations.
It is a much more positive attitude this year compared to last and I welcome this change in approach. And I wish all upcoming graduates the very best.
Gina Rullo is the editor-in-chief of The Hammonton Gazette.