For the first time in more than 30 years, Missouri Western’s spring commencement ceremony was held in Spratt Memorial Stadium. As the University approaches its centennial year, 2015, take a look back at significant commencement events throughout our history.

The first commencement for the St. Joseph Junior College was held in 1917, and eight women and two men received diplomas. Information is sparse as to where the ceremonies were held before the junior college moved to 10th and Edmond in St. Joseph in 1933. That building contained an auditorium/gymnasium where commencement ceremonies were held until the college moved to its new campus. Since the college was adding junior and senior years in the fall of 1969, no commencement was held that spring.

The first commencement ceremony on the new campus was held on a stage south of the Hearnes Center (then known as the Hearnes Learning Resource Center). It was held in the spring of 1970 for 45 graduates, and U.S. Sen. Stuart Symington delivered the commencement address. According to the 1970 Griffon Yearbook, “he spoke on the topic of pollution … the challenges it imposed for youth today.” Thunderclouds loomed throughout the ceremony, but the rain held off until after the event.

Several new traditions began that year. An Alumni Association had been formed in 1969 and it hosted the first commencement breakfast for the graduates in 1970. (That tradition continued for more than 30 years.) Also, students were led in a procession from the Popplewell Administration Building to the stage by the new-term student body president Dwight Scroggins ’76, and vice president Jim Glidewell ’71.

By the next year, 1971, the Looney Complex (then known as the HPER building) was completed, and the commencement was held in the new gym. However, students still processed from Popplewell.

The annual ceremony was held in the Looney gym until 1979, when it moved back outside. That year, Spratt Memorial Stadium had just been completed. It was again held in the stadium in 1980, but by 1981, the new addition to the Looney Complex was completed, and the ceremony was held in the new fieldhouse. They continued being held there until this past May.

Because of growing enrollment, a winter commencement ceremony was added in 1998, and in 2002, a second spring ceremony was added and continued until the 2014 ceremony.

The winter commencement ceremony will continue to be held in the Looney Complex arena.

New commencement traditions in 2014  

With the spring commencement ceremony held in Spratt Memorial Stadium, three  new traditions were part of the ceremony:

  • March to Commencement – students were led by the Griffon Corps, a musical escort, from the Griffon Indoor Sports Complex to the Spratt Stadium field.
  • Phi Sigma Kappa cannon – At home football games, members of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity fire “The General” after every Griffon score. The cannon was fired at the end of the 2014 spring commencement ceremony.
  • Griffon for Luck – It is said that those who ask for the mighty Griffon’s protection will be watched over on their quest for education. When prospective students first come to Missouri Western, they are told they can ask for the Griffon’s protection by rubbing the head of the Griffon statue in the Office of Admissions. During commencement, that same statue was on the field so students could leave the university as they came in; with one last request for protection and luck on their next quest.