Commencement tackle encourages compassion and gratitude
INDIANAPOLIS — Gary Bertoline didn’t have one of the best highschool expertise.
It was with that sense of irony that Bertoline stood in entrance of Purdue Polytechnic Excessive Faculty Schweitzer Heart at Englewood on Indianapolis’ east facet and delivered the keynote tackle to 113 college students who have been set to graduate from PPHS and embark on the subsequent chapters of their lives . You’ll be able to watch a video recap and examine a photograph gallery of PPHS commencement day on-line.
Bertoline, Purdue College’s senior vp for Purdue On-line and Studying Innovation, beforehand served as dean of Purdue Polytechnic Institute and developed the idea of a Purdue-sponsored STEM highschool that might assist give college students a voice of their schooling. He was additionally current on the day PPHS opened in Indianapolis at a short lived location on July 31, 2017.
Bertoline grew up a shy, introverted one who received by way of highschool with a B- common. “My dad and mom needed to plead with me to only attempt going to varsity. My highschool expertise crushed my spirit and self-confidence,” he mentioned.
A photograph gallery with pictures taken all through the ceremony is on the market. (Purdue College photographs/ Rebecca McElhoe and John Underwood) Obtain picture
However within the midst of these challenges, a catalyst for private progress arrived with the delivery of Bertoline’s third baby, who has Down syndrome. Bertoline mentioned that second is when he realized that he and his household wanted to embrace life to its fullest, study from all experiences and be compassionate.
“Graduates, in the present day I ask you to begin your postgraduation life by expressing gratitude to your loved ones and pals,” Bertoline mentioned. “Life is nice, particularly in the present day.”
Bertoline’s message on discovering the nice in all issues and being passionate in a single’s research follows the mission of PPHS, which was established to construct new Okay-12 pathways that result in Purdue, particularly for Hoosier college students who’re underserved by conventional excessive colleges and underrepresented in greater schooling.
PPHS immerses college students and their households in an revolutionary studying group. PPHS gives tuition-free, genuine, STEM-focused experiences that put together highschool college students for a profitable future. These experiences embrace internships, business initiatives, dual-credit programs and technical certifications. PPHS additionally gives its college students a novel path to varsity; graduates who obtain Purdue’s admission necessities are ensured admission to most of the college’s packages.
Watch Constructing a Pipeline: PPHS Origins Story to learn the way and why Purdue Polytechnic Excessive Colleges is revolutionizing schooling and altering college students’ lives.
Thirty-four of the graduates have accepted their provide to attend Purdue in West Lafayette within the fall. General, 65% of the graduates will pursue greater schooling, and 12% will attend commerce colleges or navy service.
Whereas it was the second graduation for PPHS, the commencement ceremony included the primary four-year graduating class from PPHS North, situated in Indianapolis’ Broad Ripple neighborhood, and the primary graduates from PPHS South Bend.
Victor Chukwuocha from PPHS Schweitzer Heart at Englewood was one among three scholar responders. Chukwuocha will attend Purdue and main in built-in enterprise and engineering.
“By all our trials and tribulations, now we have persevered. We constructed a group the place now we have used one another’s views to develop in our lives,” Chukwuocha mentioned. “Though we’re graduating in the present day, this group will proceed to assist and nurture our progress for the remainder of our lives.”
PPHS graduates have fun following the ceremony. (Purdue College picture/Rebecca McElhoe) Obtain picture
Nate Laneman from PPHS South Bend is one other member of the Class of 2022 who served as a scholar responder. Laneman can be pursuing a mechanical engineering diploma from Purdue.
“I am certain all of us have gone by way of arduous issues, and I am certain we’ll undergo extra as we grow old. However for in the present day put all that apart and be glad, have fun, snicker, smile, simply get pleasure from yourselves,” Laneman mentioned. “It doesn’t matter what you are going to do now that you simply’re grown up, make a kind of issues to smile.”
Extra testimonials from college students about how PPHS modified their lives and opened the doorways to varsity are on a particular PPHS webpage.
The 34 graduates will take part in Purdue’s Early Begin program July 11-Aug. 12. One other 175 PPHS rising sophomores, juniors and seniors will take part in Summer time Begin (July 11-Aug. 12) and Summer time School for Excessive Faculty College students (July 10-Aug. 5).
About Purdue College
Purdue College is a prime public analysis establishment creating sensible options to in the present day’s hardest challenges. Ranked in every of the final 4 years as one of many 10 Most Progressive universities in america by US Information & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing analysis and out-of-this-world discovery. Dedicated to hands-on and on-line, real-world studying, Purdue gives a transformative schooling to all. Dedicated to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most charges at 2012-13 ranges, enabling extra college students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue by no means stops within the persistent pursuit of the subsequent large leap at https://tales.purdue.edu.
Media contact: Matthew Oates, 765-586-7496 (cell), [email protected], @mo_oates