Southeast Missouri State University celebrates more than 700 graduates at fall commencement

More than 700 students will graduate during Southeast Missouri State University's fall commencement ceremonies, which will be held Saturday, Dec. 14, at the Show Me Center.

The fall 2024 class consists of 723 graduates, including 528 who will earn undergraduate degrees, 189 master's degrees and six specialist degrees.

“Commencement is the culmination of the hard work of our students and the support of their families and our faculty and staff,” SEMO president Carlos Vargas said in a news release from the university. “We are proud to celebrate this special day with them and to help them begin the next chapter of their bright futures.”

Students will be graduating with honors total 232 — with 56 receiving Summa Cum Laude honors, 73 Magna Cum Laude, 95 Cum Laude and eight from the Jane Stephens Honors Program. Seventy-three graduates will receive their degrees with a 4.0 cumulative GPA.

The first ceremony will occur at 10 a.m. for students graduating from the Harrison College of Business and Computing, Holland College of Arts and Media and the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. SEMO Art and Design professor Joni Hand will provide the keynote speech.

The second ceremony is set for 2 p.m. for students graduating from the College of Education, Health and Human Studies and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Jason Wagganer, SEMO's Allied Health, Kinesiology and Sport Sciences department chair, will speak during the ceremony.

For more information about SEMO's fall commencement ceremonies, visit www.semo.edu/commencement.