Congratulations, Class of 2021
05/26/2021
On Thursday, May 20, 老司机福利网 School of Law held its annual Hooding Ceremony recognizing the 175 graduates of the Class of 2021 (December 鈥�20, May and August 鈥�21) at Chaifetz Arena.
Due to pandemic restrictions, this year鈥檚 Hooding Ceremony looked different than usual, with limited guests, masked faces and the graduates hooded on the arena floor rather than onstage, but the celebration was no less exciting.
The class was addressed by University President Fred P. Pestello; Dean William P. Johnson; Prof. Chad Flanders, who was voted Faculty Member of the Year; valedictorian Patrick Monahan; and alumnus John Gunn (鈥�00), president of the Missouri Bar and president of The Gunn Law Firm, P.C., who served as the John C. Shepherd Graduation Speaker.
Mary Pat McInnis (鈥�87), dean of the Office of Career Services, was voted Adjunct Faculty Member of the Year, and gave the ceremony鈥檚 invocation and benediction.
In his valedictorian speech, Monahan lauded his classmates for the achievement of graduating from law school during a once-in-a-century pandemic.
鈥淏efore entering law school, you were warned about the stress, about the imposter syndrome, about the fact that you would be comparing yourself to and be competing against your classmates. However, no one could have warned you about the biggest obstacle you would face 鈥� that you would have to deal with all the other stresses and problems of law school while facing a global pandemic,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ome of you had to become caretakers for family members. Some of you had to go to class while your children were attending online school in the exact same room. We were all sheltered and unable to be with and study with each other.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 give up, and we only worked harder,鈥� he continued. 鈥淎nd we succeeded! We are all still here today, and now we get to put those fancy little letters, the J.D., after our names. 鈥� Whenever you face challenges in your life, I hope you take solace in the fact that you were able to graduate law school even with all of this going on around you.鈥�
In his graduation address, Gunn invited the class to never stop seeking what it means to be a lawyer.
Your clients鈥� goals are isolated as something to which your duties are bound, but the humanity available to you in determining the best way to accomplish them is abundant."
John Gunn ('00), president of the Missouri Bar
鈥淵ou鈥檝e been hearing for years about the responsibility that comes with being a lawyer, the import that our profession plays in society,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut the concept of what you do is such a small part of the narrative. How you do it is of far greater significance. Your clients鈥� goals are isolated as something to which your duties are bound, but the humanity available to you in determining the best way to accomplish them is abundant.
鈥淵ou will have innumerable opportunities to hone your humanity, as well as what it means to you to be a lawyer,鈥� he continued. 鈥淚 suggest you allow those concepts to be inextricable from one another: when you work on one, you鈥檙e working on the other. I often contemplate the common use of the word 鈥榗ounselor鈥� 鈥� and you will hear it a lot 鈥� and that word鈥檚 close connection with notions of empathy and care. That鈥檚 what you are now 鈥� counselor. Embrace that title and all of its meanings because you now embody those meanings to everyone you encounter.
鈥淥n behalf of the profession, we are very happy to have you.鈥�
The Class of 2021 joined the rest of the University in celebrating the , which was pre-recorded and published online on Sunday, May 23. The commencement speaker was Alexander Garza, M.D., (GRAD PH 鈥�03), the incident commander of the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force and chief community health officer of SSM Health.
For the members of the Class of 2020, whose in-person celebrations were canceled due to the outbreak of the pandemic, plans are underway to celebrate in August. Details will be announced as they become official. The University's Commencement for this class is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021.
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By Maria Tsikalas, 老司机福利网 School of Law Office of Communications