{"id":20017,"date":"2014-04-28T09:46:41","date_gmt":"2014-04-28T13:46:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=20017"},"modified":"2015-03-16T17:50:37","modified_gmt":"2015-03-16T21:50:37","slug":"nobel-laureate-gbowee-helps-emu-graduates-to-appreciate-taking-action-and-dancing-in-the-present","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2014\/nobel-laureate-gbowee-helps-emu-graduates-to-appreciate-taking-action-and-dancing-in-the-present\/","title":{"rendered":"Nobel Laureate Gbowee helps EMU graduates to appreciate taking action \u2013 and dancing \u2013 in the present"},"content":{"rendered":"

Under a postcard-perfect blue sky at Eastern Mennonite University, 467 members of the graduating class of 2014 heard Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee<\/a> call them to \u201ctake action in the present\u201d rather than be paralyzed by uncertainty about what their future holds.<\/p>\n

\u201cBegin with what you have,\u201d she said, using \u201cyour little gift to change the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gbowee referred with pride in her commencement speech<\/a> to being a graduate of EMU (she earned a master\u2019s degree in conflict transformation<\/a> in 2007) and to being the mother of a 2014 graduate, Joshua Mensah<\/a>. \u201cMy home is 5,000 miles away from this campus, but this is a place that is very close to my heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said she chose EMU for her eldest son because she wanted a university with “a whole lot of Jesus and lots of churches” in the vicinity, but “limited partying.”<\/p>\n

Mensah, a digital media<\/a> major, was one of 351 students receiving bachelor\u2019s degrees. Eighty graduate degrees were conferred, including the first graduates from EMU\u2019s two-year-old MA in Biomedicine program<\/a>. Graduate certificates, associate degrees, and pastoral ministry degrees were also conferred.<\/p>\n

\"James<\/a>
James Thorne (hand raised) shouts gleefully, “It’s about time,” as his son, Andrew, walks across the stage during commencement. Beside James is Andrew’s mother, Wanda. (Photo by Michael Sheeler)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Among the thousands of family members and friends in the audience were 10 relatives of Andrew Thorne<\/a>, a well-known figure on campus for his basketball prowess. Less well-known is that he flunked out of EMU after his freshman year.<\/p>\n

Thorne appealed for re-admission, hoping to prove that he could be the first member of his extended family to finish college. The following years were not entirely smooth, including at least one brush with the law. But, in Thorne\u2019s words, basketball coach Kirby Dean<\/a> “stayed in my ear to push me along and to be honest. He never gave up, and he\u2019s been getting on my nerves for four years! But that\u2019s what people need.\u201d<\/p>\n

An EMU news article<\/a> published in December 2013 showed that Thorne, in his fifth year at EMU, was still struggling to complete his required coursework. Upon reading the article, Coach Dean posted this comment:<\/p>\n

You need to really focus and finish strong! You can see the light at the end of the tunnel so keep grinding! Years from now, I need to be able to tell other recruits about \u2018Andrew Thorne\u2019\u2026where he came from, what he had to overcome, the contributions you are making to society, and the successful life you are leading now. That\u2019s where this story needs to go over the coming years. Get it done.<\/em><\/p>\n

When Andrew\u2019s name was called and he walked across the stage to receive his diploma, his father James waved the commencement program in the air and yelled, \u201cIt\u2019s about time!\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew’s 27-year-old brother (named James like his father) got leave from his work as a Norfolk-based petty officer in the U.S. Navy to be present. \u201cI knew he was going to make it,\u201d said his brother, though \u201cit was not an easy ride for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Their mother, Wanda, said she is sure “Drew” \u2013 as the family calls him \u2013 \u201cis going to be successful \u2013 he\u2019s proven that he can overcome a lot of obstacles in his life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Drew himself was all smiles as he hugged his family, but he was a man of few words in talking about his accomplishment. He simply said, “It means the world. It’s a fresh start. It’s a new beginning.”<\/p>\n

More from commencement weekend:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cords of Distinction ceremony<\/a>\u00a0(podcast)<\/p>\n

Seminary commencement ceremony<\/a> (podcast)<\/p>\n

“Seminary Students Celebrate Graduation at Eastern Mennonite Seminary<\/a>” – WHSV\/TV3 (video)<\/p>\n

Nurses’ pinning ceremony<\/a> (podcast)<\/p>\n

Seminary Baccalaureate<\/a>\u00a0(podcast)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Under a postcard-perfect blue sky at Eastern Mennonite University, 467 members of the graduating class of 2014 heard Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee call them to \u201ctake action in the ... read more about Nobel Laureate Gbowee helps EMU graduates to appreciate taking action \u2013 and dancing \u2013 in the present<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":73,"featured_media":20020,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4515,266,5583,14184,14715,16077,5642,264,5623,4513,5730],"tags":[13936,5854,13745,8113,14107,5674,10067,17243],"feature":[],"class_list":["post-20017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academics","category-alumni","category-campus-community","category-campus-guests","category-campus-life","category-commencement-alumni","category-faculty-and-staff","category-graduate-programs","category-special-programs","category-student-life","category-undergraduate-programs","tag-andrew-thorne","tag-commencement","tag-conflict-transformation","tag-digital-media","tag-joshua-mensah","tag-kirby-dean","tag-leymah-gbowee","tag-ma-in-biomedicine"],"yoast_head":"\nNobel Laureate Gbowee helps EMU graduates to appreciate taking action \u2013 and dancing \u2013 in the present - 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