On Saturday, August 21, 2021, Wesleyan graduate students celebrated commencement in Porter Auditorium. A total of twenty-two students earned their master's degrees through Wesleyan's Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master’s of Education in Elementary Education (MEd) degree programs.
Two graduates served as commencement speakers for the ceremony. Ellis Anne Collins, Wesleyan MBA ’21, graduated from Georgia College and State University with bachelor's degrees in French and Spanish. Upon the completion of her undergraduate career, she relocated to Germany to pursue higher education in German language and culture courses at the University of Mannheim. Ellis Anne has been teaching foreign language and culture for the past three years. After graduating from Wesleyan’s MBA program, Ellis Anne is now pursuing a career in an industry where she can use her language and business skills to work internationally.
"These graduates, like all of us, had to overcome many obstacles these last eighteen months. I am so proud of their resilience, dedication, and willingness to finish their degrees. This group consisted of a variety of professionals from a number of specialties, such as finance, education, safety and security, military, production, and others. We had professionals who were starting their management careers, those who were continuing to advance in their industry, and those looking for new opportunities. I am extremely grateful for their professionalism, and I have the utmost respect for each of them," said Dr. Seth D. Selke, director of graduate business programs.
Tyler Burns, Wesleyan MEd ’21, addressed her fellow classmates during the ceremony. Currently serving as a fifth-grade teacher at Vineville Academy in Macon, Tyler is from Atlanta and earned her undergraduate degree in early childhood and special education at Middle Georgia State University. Tyler is a dedicated mother, educator, and advocate of diverse education.
Dr. Virginia Bowman Wilcox ’90, associate professor of education and department chair said, "This group came in under a lockdown and we were worried they wouldn’t be able to create the strong bonds previous cohorts had. We were wrong! Through the unifying stress of teaching in a pandemic and the strength of their personalities and determination, they have a bond as strong as any group that came before them. They emerged with new ideas and strong research in hand to enter this school year prepared."
Designed for working professionals and recent bachelor degree graduates, Wesleyan’s fast-track hybrid graduate programs offer online or hybrid courses on campus evenings and weekends. All classes are taught by faculty with real-world experience and outstanding academic credit. Our graduate programs are open to men and women.