Bluffton University had a big day Sunday afternoon with their spring commencement. As 250 undergrad and master's students filed in to receive their diplomas, they were reminded of the other special part about the day. The commencement speaker delivered a speech titled "For All Mothers". She says in a way Bluffton has been like a mother to all the students -- nurturing them until they move on with another chapter of their life. In fact, she says alma mater is Latin for "nourishing mother".
"Bluffton is birthing them into the world and so just a reminder just as they would honor and support and care for their mother, they can also honor and support to give back to their school, to show up and speak in classes as young alum, things of that nature. So I'm really excited to celebrate with the class of 2016 and to remind them that today they are charged to care for all our mothers," said Sarah Thompson, speaker and executive director of Christian Peacemaker Teams.
One of the graduates we spoke to is a mother herself and says she couldn't have asked for a better support system going through school.
"My family really deserves this day just as much as I do, if not more. They've been participants for the last two years with me. Their patience, their kindness, of me squeezing in reading books and writing papers on car rides. My kids have been truly instrumental," Jennifer Hiester, Bluffton MBA graduate, said.
Hiester says she was most looking forward to relaxing with her family after the ceremony. In all, about three thousand people were in attendance.
