Pancakes Come and Then They Move On

It is graduation weekend and Brian and I have been busy attending functions that honor the students that we have interacted with here at Pierpont Hall. It has also been a time of reflection of all that the students we live with achieve.

Ending of the semester begins with Pancakes for Finals at Pierpont. From Sunday to Thursday of every finals time Brian, the RAs, Tracie, and myself cook pancakes from 9-11pm. It has become a great way to see how students are feeling as the semester and year winds down. It makes me tired by Wednesday as Dr. Ann is an early to bed kind of girl. But it is a tradition that has come to mean that we all need to take time and reflect on what was the good and bad of what we have experienced.

Yesterday Brian and I found ourselves at Evan's Commissioning Ceremony. Evan was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force. Within the year he will train to become a pilot. Evan has been an RA for us for three years and has truly become someone we care deeply about. As we sat there with his former co-RA Jordan it hit Brian that Evan as a member of our armed services could come into harms way. He gasped at the idea and then held his head high as Evan was commissioned. When Evan thanked us for all our support the times that I have wanted to choke him over the three years for choices he has made, all disappeared from my mind. What I saw was a young man who when I first met him was willing to teach Brian and I what we needed to know about Pierpont. I saw was a free spirited soul finalizing realizing his dream. I saw a young man and not the boy I first met. He worked hard for that dream and deserves all the good things that will come his way. With tears in my eyes I wished him good luck and told him I would, "see him later". After this experience I look forward to sharing it with Jon next May.

Today I attended the College of Human Resources and Education Graduation Ceremony. At this ceremony I had the great privileged of hooding Kristen, one of our RAs, for achieving a Masters in Counseling. Over this past year I have watched her use her skills to assist numerous students in Pierpont Hall achieve their dreams and overcome difficulties they were having. I also saw her struggle about where she wanted to be professionally. Watching her look over her choices and consider all the options she had made me realize that WVU had given her life-long skills that she will use. She decided to work as a trauma therapist for a local company and she is happy to be pursuing such an adventure.

At this ceremony I also got to see Walker achieve is Masters Degree in Secondary Education. Walker has also been an RA with us also for three years. He like Evan taught us so much when we arrived on the scene we can not thank them enough. Walker over the years has always been a man of few words. Over this past year he has shared more about himself then the two year prior. I am grateful that Walker began to trust us enough to open up. Brian's greatest gift this year is the Abraham Lincoln coffee mug Walker bought for him on his trip to see Lincoln's grave. He drank his coffee this morning in honor of Walker and all he has become. I on the other hand had to say loudly, "Yeah Johny Walker," as he was exiting the stage. I saw him smile and that meant the world to me. Walker has talked about pursuing a doctorate in history specializing in Lincoln, I hope to one day be sitting in the audience when he achieves that dream.

That last piece of achievement news came today over a text message. Our resident Kylin has been working very hard at her academics in hopes she would be accepted to the athletic training program. Today this dream was realized, Congrats Kylin!

Watching the residents grow from older adolescents to young men and women is something I will never tire of. It gives me such great joy to watch them achieve their dreams and visions. It also gives me hope and a renewed belief that if you work hard and keep your goal in focus anything is possible.

Happy Graduation to All Pierpont and WVU Grads.

Dr. Ann

PS Josh I am sorry I am missing your ceremony but Italy awaits. :)