IUK students graduate, beat the rain

May 8—There wasn't much about 2020 that was normal.

School, getting groceries, socializing, working and just about everything else was a little different.

Same went for high school graduations.

Kristen Ridner didn't get a typical graduation at Bloomington South High School.

"It was just a video put on YouTube," she said.

Four years later, she was in line to graduate from Indiana University Kokomo with a degree in psychology. But as the day grew closer, Ridner wondered if that graduation ceremony would be disrupted, too.

IUK's graduation is typically held outside, but a forecast of rain hung over the event in the days and hours leading up to Tuesday morning.

"I wasn't sure we were going to because of the rain," Ridner said.

But the weather cooperated, for just enough time, for all 625 IUK graduates to walk across the stage in a traditional graduation ceremony.

"I'm just really thankful for the rain holding off," Ridner said.

As Indiana University President Pamela Whitten said during opening remarks, every day is sunny in Kokomo.

Tuesday's ceremony was an abbreviated one, lasting less than 45 minutes, due to the expected rain. There were fewer speakers. It was the 55th IUK graduation.

Andrea Méndez Rodríguez, an international student from Valladolid, Spain, delivered the student address. Her mom made the trip to see her graduate.

Rodríguez, who plans to be a biochemist, talked about how she overcame her fear of public speaking.

"I stepped outside of my comfort zone," she said. "I embraced the opportunity."

It was an opportunity that resulted in more confidence.

"I am a testament of the formative power of embracing new skills," Rodríguez said to a crowd of hundreds of people.

One by one, students' names were read as they walked across the stage, shaking hands with IUK Chancellor Mark Canada and receiving their degrees.

Then, with a pop of red and white streamers and tosses of graduation caps, the students were officially graduates.

This year's graduates represented 43 Indiana counties, 16 states and 14 countries. IUK's School of Nursing and Allied Health Professions had the most graduates with 120 students earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.

A bachelor's in business was the second most common.

There was time for graduates to celebrate with their family and friends and take photos outside following graduation.

Jarod Gillespie posed for photos with friends in front of the Student Activities and Events Center. The fifth-year student stayed an extra year for baseball, due to the pandemic.

"It feels awesome," Gillespie said. "Five years of school, it's a long time."

His interview with the Tribune was cut short as the skies gave way to a downpour. People rushed to the nearest building and their cars.

Inside the events center, Ridner and McKenzie Cooper, teammates on the IUK women's basketball team, took a couple photos at half court.

Cooper graduated from Eastern High School, played three years at Defiance College in Ohio and completed her master's in business at IUK.

She's on the job hunt. Ridner is headed back to school for a graduate degree in psychology.

Spencer Durham can be reached at 765-454-8598, by email at spencer.durham@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter at @Durham_KT.