University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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In between speeches, a graduating senior sits on the shoulders of a friend in celebration. The ceremony began promptly 9: 1 5 with the procession of the graduates onto the field. Tedjasukmana photo A graduate shows his excitement in the form of bubbles at commencement. Graduates expressed their enthusiasm in many ways at the 2004 ceremony, such as decorating their caps and wearing wigs. Tedjasukmatta photo

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MICHIGAN LIFE By Kristen Pavle tudents came from across the country and around the world; yet, there was one thing that they all had in common - they all came to the same college town of Ann Arbor. Life at the University consisted of everything from ignoring crosswalk signals to participating in the most recent protests and trying the newest restaurants on campus. The location forced students to own a full four-season wardrobe, and adjust to the sparatic warm November 1 days and cool May evenings. Catching the latest concert, seeing a new release at the State Theater, and following the latest campus politics were also a priority. Academics and studying were also important, and students found many different options for where to crack open the books, including the numberous coffee shops and libraries on campus. Students also found ways to integrate their religion into their lives, whether they attended Bible study once a week or visited Hillel for Friday night services. The lives that students created for themselves here were often hectic, but would not be planned any other way.

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I Protected from the rain, University President Mary Sue Coleman addresses the class of 2004 at commencement. Even though the weather was less than ideal, speakers and graduates kept their spirits high as they rejoiced in the culmination of years of hard work. J. Neff photo G raduation A cold, drizzly morning greeted the class of 2004 on Saturday, May 1, as they entered the Big House. Commencement, the culmination of their years of hard work at the University, lay just inside the stadium walls. Donned in matching caps and gowns, the graduates solemnly filed in. They sang the fight song, listened to remarks by University officials and President Mary Sue Coleman, and then the poignant words of keynote speaker David E. Davis Jr., founder of Automobile Magazine, who was honored by the University with an honorary doctor of humane letters degree at the ceremony. Davis urged the new graduates to take responsibility for their own actions, and solemnly admitted, I did everything to prevent myself from succeeding and yet I still succeeded. The University ' s decision to cast Davis in March was met with protest from the student body. A letter from LSA graduate Adam Paterno to The Michigan Daily summed up the students ' frustrations. Paterno expressed the desire for what he deemed a more high-profile and relevant commencement speaker, such as Michigan State University ' s speaker, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, National Security Advisor, instead of Davis, who never even officially graduated college. In his speech, Davis recognized Paterno, acknowledged his letter, and jokingly promised, I will find you. Davis continued on to remark about his life experiences, refusing to sugar-coat the hardships ahead for the new graduates, but encouraged them to remain optimistic and to choose something they truly enjoyed above all else. The commencement experience was disappointing for some, including engineering graduate Sara Grady who said, Graduation was the culmination of four years hard work: it was rainy, gloomy, cold, and overall, boring. Yet, other students were satisfied with Davis ' remarks after the completion of the graduation ceremony. I thought graduation was going to suck, but Davis was actually really interesting, computer science graduate Joe Williams said. He championed the experiences you gain from life, and had more to say than how valuable a good education is and ' Go Blue. '