Madonna graduates 33 in class of 2021
Trending
STEUBENVILLE -- Some 33 students officially concluded their time at Madonna on Saturday, crossing the stage inside the Finnegan Fieldhouse on the campus of the Franciscan University of Steubenville.
Those 33 heard from someone who knows first-hand how the education they just finished can prepare one for future success, as class of 2000 graduate Kristen Finley Sobota delivered the commencement address.
Sobota is a professor at Ohio Northern University and now resides in Lima.
During her time at Madonna, she was the class of 2000’s valedictorian and president of the National Honor Society.
She went on to earn a doctorate in pharmacy from West Virginia University and complete a pharmacy practice residency at Ohio State.
"Our education from Madonna High School is most importantly still a foundation of faith and Christian values in all of our personal lives," she said, noting the values learned at Madonna set one up for success.
She joked that she and her husband, originally from Cadiz, were excited to come "home" to get DiCarlo’s pizza when she was asked to give the commencement address.
She detailed the differences between her time at Madonna and that of the current graduates, and told the students though her class in 2000 had to deal with Y2K, the class of 2021 are the ones who admirably navigated a tough challenge with COVID-19.
"My class thought we were the ones making history by simply being the first class of the millennium," she said. "But, in all honesty, it is your class, the graduating class of 2021, that are the true history makers at Madonna.
"You are the first class to spend over a year together in a pandemic, learning in a hybrid setting. You have adapted to the many changes ... and did so with grace and compassion toward others.
"You showed more resilience and grit than any other class that has come before you."
Class of 2021 valedictorians Sydney Crawford and Madalena Daugherty each gave remarks, as did salutatorian Elyse Chartier.
"We have learned some of life’s most tough lessons in the last four years," Daugherty said. "And, although it was never easy, it was necessary for us to become the fine young men and women that we are today.
"I’m so proud of my classmates for their determination, charisma, toughness and overall positive attitudes, especially in times as uncertain as these."
It was noted during the ceremony that 85 percent of the graduating class had been offered either full or partial scholarships totaling more than $2.6 million, with more potentially yet to be offered.