Dr. Shirley A. Graves is recognized as a leader and trailblazer for women in her field, but in 1957, she was not very different from the soon-to-be graduates sitting in front of her Saturday afternoon at Mississippi University for Women’s Rent Auditorium.
In 1957, she was young, her eyes bright with dreams. And she has fulfilled many of those dreams, along with ones she never imagined, like serving as the 2012 Commencement speaker for this year’s class of 660 graduates.
Saturday’s graduation events were attended by 460 degree candidates. Graduates in the College of Nursing and Speech Language Pathology and the School of Professional Studies received their diplomas, during the morning ceremony, and degrees were conferred Saturday afternoon for the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education and Human Sciences.
Graves encouraged the students to use their education to make a difference in the world.
“You say, ‘I am just one person; I can’t affect world hunger, homelessness, countries at war and other social problems,'” Graves said. “Few of us, as one person standing alone can solve big problems, but we can clearly be a part of the solution. One person to another and then another, we become a team that makes a difference. We find solutions for those who may have no voice.”
She also encouraged the students to use their knowledge and pass it on to others, measuring success not by one’s own achievements, but by seeing those they help accomplish even greater things.
Graves was born at home in Ackerman. Her mother was only 19 and had never consistently been allowed to attend school, but she cared for her family by sewing and later becoming a sewing teacher at the Singer Sewing Machine store in Columbus. Eventually, she taught herself accounting and became a bookkeeper at the store.
More than anything, Graves said, her mother wanted her to have the education she had been denied.
After graduating from MUW, Graves went on to become a pioneer in pediatric anesthesiology and pediatric critical care. She received her medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine, then entered a residency pediatrics program at the University of Texas in Galveston, Texas, where she studied pediatric critical care medicine.
She later joined the faculty of the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, Fla., where she served as the chief of pediatric anesthesia and pediatric critical care and founded the pediatric intensive care unit at Shands Children’s Hospital in Gainesville, Fla.
She said she’s proud of the students she has mentored over the years.
“They justify my efforts,” Graves told Saturday’s graduates. “Education is a gift that has no expiration date and never stops giving.”
She exhorted the students to make each day count and never be afraid of failure.
“I shall never forget that Mississippi University for Women gave me a foundation on which to grow,” Graves told the students. “Now it is your turn to stand on that same foundation and soar to new heights. Remember, it’s the journey that enriches your life, so make it a memorable one, and never forget your roots.”
Honors and awards
Saturday morning, Graves received an honorary doctorate of science from MUW. Other awards and distinctions were also bestowed upon faculty and students.
Dr. Bridget Pieschel, professor of English and director of the Center for Women’s Research and Public Policy, received the 2012 Kossen Faculty Excellence Award, along with a $5,000 stipend. The award is given for excellence in teaching, excellence in scholarly or artistic achievement and excellence in campus and community service, as well as for exhibiting a commitment to student success in each of those areas.
“I know of no one who has done more for the students of MUW and the institution itself than Dr. Pieschel in her 29 years as a faculty member here,” Dr. Thomas C. Richardson, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, wrote in his nomination letter.
Pieschel received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from MUW and a doctorate in English from the University of Alabama.
Dr. Brian Anderson, chair of the department of history, political science and geography, was named faculty member of the year.
Anderson teaches political science and has been a faculty member since 1998. He received his doctorate and master’s degree in political science from Pennsylvania State University and his bachelor’s degree in international relations from the University of Virginia.
Thomas Nawrocki, who has taught at MUW for 41 years, was named emeritus professor of art. Dr. Shoachen Yang, who has been a faculty member for 23 years, was named emerita professor of mathematics.
Two students were awarded the Harvey M. Craft Award, which is given to graduating seniors with the highest grade-point average.
Andrew Garner, of Columbus, and Katy Minga, of Pontotoc, both graduated with a 4.0 grade-point average. Garner received his degree in business administration and management information systems, and Minga graduated with a nursing degree.
Carmen K. Sisson is the former news editor at The Dispatch.
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