Setting the stage for success Employee moves out from behind the scenes for graduation t Students assemble for the December 2022 commencement at the KFC Yum! Center, also the site for this year's spring commencement May 13. “WALKING ACROSS THE STAGE” AT commencement is a special privilege students spend years working to earn and parents wait a lifetime to see. Taking those few steps, waving to the cheering crowd, sharing a fist bump with the president and maybe sneaking in a quick dance move all signal the very beginnings of thousands of futures. Those emotional December and May moments wouldn’t be possible without the small army of UofL physical plant workers that carefully assembles (and later disassembles) the stage used for commencement exercises. One of those workers at the December 2022 commencement was carpenter Rob Elliott, an eight-year UofL employee who said he had always enjoyed the task because he could see “the kids at that moment of their lives and what they have accomplished to get to that one moment.” The most recent commencement, Dec. 16, 2022, was Elliott’s moment. Using the tuition remission benefit for UofL employees, Elliott worked 16 UOFLMAGAZINE.COM full time and took online classes to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in leadership and organizational development. He helped his co-workers erect the stage at the KFC Yum! Center, took his seat among the degree candidates, walked across the stage when his name was called and later helped the crew take down the stage. A celebration Elliott with family and friends later was bittersweet: Absent was his 19-year-old daughter Halle, who had been in her second semester at UofL when she died in an automobile accident in February 2022. “I struggled with no longer seeing her on campus, no longer taking her to lunch, no longer being able to enjoy having her on campus with me at such a turning point in her young life. Not a lot of parents have that opportunity, and I never took it for granted,” said Elliott, 48. “Even though she is no longer here, I wasn’t going to give up everything I have worked so hard for. She would be so proud of me. Daddy did it, Halle!” Approximately 2,300 degrees were conferred in December, with about 1,000 students participating in commencement exercises. Elliott said he encourages everyone to continue their education, and he was grateful to UofL for the chance. “With this degree, I hope to have more opportunities open up and advance my career with UofL. I tell everyone you are never too old to go back to school. Having that degree is a huge accomplishment. No one can ever take that away from you. I feel so blessed to be able to accom-plish my goals and I want to inspire others to do the same.” May 2023 commencement exercises are scheduled for May 13 at the KFC Yum! Center. ONLINE: For more information visit louisville.edu/commencement .
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