Graduates complete their PFW journey

When first stepping on the Purdue University Fort Wayne campus, new students might be full of trepidation, wondering if they’ve made the right choice—and if they can truly make this adventure work.

But as they walk across the commencement stage as graduates, soon to revel in the falling confetti, most are ready to show off the courage and skills they’ve built along the way.

PFW Chancellor Ron Elsenbaumer further encouraged the Class of 2025 during Wednesday’s 57th commencement at Memorial Coliseum.

“As I look out at all of you today—and there are so many of you—I feel tremendous pride and hope,” Elsenbaumer said. “Hope for your success. Hope for your future. Hope for your good health. And, above all, hope for your happiness.

“This journey has brought you to a pivotal moment in your lives. Whatever comes next, you should be truly proud of all you have learned and all that you have accomplished during your time here at Purdue Fort Wayne.”

The graduation celebrations started a day early this year, with the first-ever Senior Send-off at the Steel Dynamics Keith E. Busse Mastodon Alumni Center on Tuesday. More than 200 seniors arrived with traditional regalia for pictures. While there, they got to decorate their caps and collect information about postgraduation opportunities. More importantly, there were also a few last chances to mingle with friends, faculty, and deans.

Riley Browning, hospitality management and tourism major, said it was a great way to connect with people before they leave, while Thomas Carroll, an organizational leadership major, said he enjoyed talking to folks he may not get the chance to see the next day.

Though Wednesday’s commencement was a group celebration that included family and friends, there were some individual highlights too.

After sharing the same bedroom in Cecil, Ohio, and then rooming together while attending PFW, sisters Maddie and Morgan Boesch walked one right after the other across the stage.

Born 18 months apart, the sisters both earned degrees in women’s studies, with Morgan double-majoring in communications and minoring in film and media. Already owning an associate degree in organizational leadership, Maddie just needs to complete one summer semester class to add a third degree in general studies, with a minor in French.

Maddie wants to attend law school, and Morgan is considering a career in social media marketing.

“The way I see it, we both have all the opportunities in front of us that you could think of,” Morgan said. “I think women’s studies helped me understand that I don’t have to change who I am with my ideology and who I am as a person to fit in with other people.”

As Maddie said, “I think taking women’s studies and having that kind of education allows me to think differently in the sense that I might be able to look at something small within the big picture and correlate that to real-life experiences. I can do the difficult things, and I’m willing to make choices that I think are going to be best for me.”

As she reached the finish line, Kaleigh Mays completed a remarkable spring semester, earning 24 credits to graduate from the Doermer School of Business with three majors: marketing, management, and economics. She had already earned her professional sales certificate during the fall. While taking nine courses this spring, she also served as co-captain of the PFW cheerleading squad she helped reinstitute in 2022, worked part time, and was a member of the Honors Program.

“It is crazy,” Mays said. “I don’t recommend it, but it is doable.”

Paying her way through school, Mays prioritized graduating debt-free, making it more important to finish within her planned timeline. Her faith provided calm, and she also dedicated herself to living for two of her grandparents, who passed away recently. Her strength and determination definitely came from her grandmother, Mays said.

“I just kept pushing forward because I know that’s what they would have wanted,” Mays said. “I’ve learned that every single day is a gift, and not to take anything for granted.”

View the video below to experience more of Wednesday’s celebration at the Coliseum.

To access a recording of the event in its entirety, and also a photo gallery, visit PFW's commencement website.

Click here to read Elsenbaumer’s full address to the more than 8,000 who were in attendance.