Construction did not stop seniors from filling the Memorial Student Center to tie up loose ends and move one step closer to graduation.

Countdown to Commencement is described on the Herd Alum website as a “one-stop-shop for graduating seniors to take care of all last-minute details before graduation.”

“This event allows our students who are graduating to tie up their loose ends,” Michael Circle, parent and family services coordinator of Student Affairs, said. “Figure out what they need to do to graduate, get the cords and stoles necessary, get a professional headshot, pretty much everything they need to finalize their business here and learn about how they are sons and daughters of Marshall even after they are gone.”

With just a little over a month left of classes, some students are preparing for winter commencement. 

“It definitely made it a lot more real as soon as I got my cap and gown,” Kayleigh Terrell, a senior biology pre-med major, said. “I was excited to not only see my cap and gown, but everything else they could offer to us towards the end of our time here.”

Terrell, along with other soon-to-be graduates had the opportunity to find out how to stay connected to their Herd family after graduation. 

“They have the alumni association here to talk to them about groups all over the country,” Circle said. “No matter where they go to work, there’s usually an alumni group in big cities for Marshall University. They get together, watch games, do meetings and stuff like that.”

Circle said there was a little something for everyone at the countdown event. 

“Even though graduation is a month from now,” Circle said. “They [graduates] have plenty of time to get with our Office of Career Education and talk about where they can go with their degree and what they can do moving forward. Talk to our alumni association and see how they can get involved going further. And we have the graduate college here, if they want to further their education still.”

Students who were unable to attend the Countdown to Commencement can get their stoles from the registrar’s office and their caps and gowns from the bookstore. 

Brittany Hively can be contacted at [email protected].