{"id":220988,"date":"2023-05-18T12:54:40","date_gmt":"2023-05-18T16:54:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/?p=220988"},"modified":"2024-05-13T18:24:25","modified_gmt":"2024-05-13T22:24:25","slug":"inaugural-senior-send-off-celebrates-class-of-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2023\/05\/18\/inaugural-senior-send-off-celebrates-class-of-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Senior Send-Off\u2019 Celebrates Class of 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

As part of a week honoring the Class of 2023, Montclair State University held its \u201cSenior Send-off\u201d on May 16 \u2013 an evening that included live music, a barbecue, recognition, toasts and fireworks.<\/p>\n

Hosted by the Student Government Association (SGA) and the Center for Student Involvement, the event provided the perfect opportunity for graduating seniors to reflect on their achievements, celebrate their accomplishments and create a few more memories before embarking on the next chapter of their lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe purpose of the event is to give one last really nice farewell to our seniors. We really wanted to host one big event in the Yogi Berra Stadium since it\u2019s the heart of MSU and our seniors. So we wanted to celebrate their achievements and just provide a little bit of everything today,\u201d says Camryn Wade, the executive treasurer of the SGA.<\/p>\n

Seniors were not the only ones to celebrate the occasion. Families, friends, faculty and staff also gathered to commemorate their achievements.<\/p>\n

The highlight of the event was a champagne toast to the Class of 2023, led by University President Jonathan Koppell, who praised the seniors for their hard work and dedication throughout their college years. Koppell also reminded the seniors of the bright future ahead of them and encouraged them to make a positive impact on the world.<\/p>\n

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President Jonathan Koppell toasts the Class of 2023.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cLet’s toast the Class of 2023 who reached this day after a long and winding journey, learning in ways you didn’t imagine five or six years ago,\u201d Koppell told the graduates. \u201cWhatever your path, you overcame challenges, you achieved things that you didn’t know you were capable of, you embraced the new and the unknown, made friendships, learned things about yourself and most importantly, you set an object in front of you. If you have big goals and you believe firmly in your heart that you can achieve them, you will succeed. You have done great things at Montclair State University, and we know you will do great things in the future.\u201d <\/p>\n

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Photos above and below: Spectators enjoying the fireworks.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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As the night drew to a close, the seniors were \u201csent-off\u201d with a bang \u2013 a spectacular fireworks display. The colorful explosions lit up the sky in harmony with the DJ’s hits, providing a fitting finale to an unforgettable event.<\/p>\n

The evening \u2013 filled with joy, laughter and nostalgia \u2013 gave students and their families another opportunity to absorb the campus ambiance one last time and bid farewell on a positive note.<\/p>\n

Members of the Class of 2023 were freshmen when the COVID-19 pandemic changed what college looked like \u2013 first with online instruction, then a return to in-person classes with masks on and then finally to a more typical classroom experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cConsidering that we lost our freshman year with COVID, being able to come out and really enjoy an event as a senior was what attracted me here today,\u201d said Katelyn Rivera, who majored in Psychology. \u201cI hope to take memories from this event and just end my chapter on a positive note.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Getting ready for the toast.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For Katherin Lopez, who majored in Sociology, the event presented an opportunity to embrace one last moment as a college student while also engaging and networking with fellow students.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’m just really excited to hang out with my friends one last time before starting to look for a job and graduating so I’m glad MSU had this because it’s kind of like something different than what they’ve had in the past. Plus, there\u2019s a lot of people here that, maybe you can network with and find jobs since we are all moving forward,\u201d Lopez said.<\/p>\n

For Bri Sleight, a Psychology major, the event marked an end of her four-year \u201ctransformative journey\u201d through college.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just wanted to hang out with my friends and get some free food and drinks,\u201d Sleight said.
\n\u201cI appreciate that they’re creating a place that everyone could get together for a sense of accomplishment and celebrating the last four years of college.\u201d<\/p>\n

Commencement exercises take place on Tuesday, May 23, at Prudential Center in Newark. To learn more or to watch live streams in English or Spanish visit the Commencement website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Photo Gallery<\/h2>\n

Selfies with the President<\/h3>\n
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Making memories<\/h3>\n
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Story by Rosaria Lo Presti. Photos by John J. LaRosa<\/a>.<\/p>\n