Purdue Global commencement set for Saturday

Fueled by determination and persistence, nearly 1,000 graduates will take part in Purdue Global commencement ceremonies Saturday (Feb. 25). In-person ceremonies are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. PT at City National Grove of Anaheim (California), followed by a virtual ceremony at 4:30 p.m. PT.

The graduates reside in 46 states – including 176 California residents and 56 from Indiana – as well as Bermuda, Canada, Indonesia, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saipan, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Some 178 graduates are affiliated with the military. Seven systemwide Purdue University employees are among those earning a Purdue Global degree or certificate via the Purdue Global education benefit.

Chancellor Frank Dooley will address the 990 graduates — 483 registered to attend in person and 507 virtually.

“It’s always a great reminder to me of why we do what we do. You see people coming across the stage and see their smiles and hear their stories,” Dooley says of commencement. “These graduates have earned a degree they can be proud of and one that employees will respect.”

Some 11,000 Purdue Global students have graduated in the last year.

Dolan Williams, a graduate of Concord Law School, will provide the keynote address. Williams was working as an online college advisor in 2010 when he decided to make a career change and pursue law school. As the sole provider for his family of six, a traditional path was not feasible, so he chose Concord. Since 2017, he has operated the Law Office of Dolan M. Williams, currently located in San Diego. Williams, who spoke at the February 2020 commencement in Los Angeles and at the December 2020 virtual ceremony, supports Purdue Global by volunteering his time to assist with prospective student webinars and serving on the Concord Law School Advisory Council.

Saturday will mark Purdue Global’s 16th commencement since its formation in 2018 and the second in Southern California. Purdue Global boasts 2,347 active students and 3,078 alumni in California. 

On Feb. 21, Darrell Portis continued Purdue Global’s tradition of giving the “Last Lecture” to graduates. Portis is a faculty member – teaching undergraduate courses in the School of Health Sciences, serving as a course lead and participating in several groups that oversee and revise course programs. Faculty are selected for the “Last Lecture” as a testimony of their impact on students. One student said: “Professor Portis was one of the driving forces behind my success. He fostered an environment of cohesive learning and integration into the unknown for those new to health care administration. I am forever indebted to him for his commitment to us.”

Purdue Global will host a Black and Gold Celebration for all in-person graduates from 5-6:30 p.m. PT Friday (Feb. 24) at City National Grove of Anaheim. Afterward, Purdue for Life Foundation will celebrate the latest Purdue Global active-duty and veteran graduates with a Military Appreciation Dinner.

Additionally, Concord Law School will celebrate its 25th anniversary throughout the weekend in Anaheim. To learn more, click here.

More information, including how to watch graduation online, can be found at the Commencement Showroom.