Yesterday was a great “Tippie Day.”  We held a reception for graduating Tippie students and their family and friends at the Pappajohn Business Building from 1:00 P.M. to 2:30.  It was fun to see Tippie graduates get the chance to talk to many of the Tippie faculty and to introduce their parents and family members to their professors as well.  At 5:00 P.M. we held Commencement at Carver Hawkeye Arena.  This was Dean Gardial’s first Tippie spring Commencement.  Student speaker Erin Walsh was great as was the invited Commencement speaker, Sheri Salata, who emphaized the importance of finding meaning in work as well as the life-time bond Tippie students have with the University of Iowa, Tippie and the many Tippie alums.

The CDE/OGI Graduation and Recognition Reception was held at the Iowa Memorial Union.  UPO Assistant Director Mark Archibald was on the CDE/OGI Planning Committee and UPO Assistant Director Brooke Paulsen presented one of the awards.  President Mason opened the event, talking about “extraordinary” things “regular” people have and can do.  I had the chance to talk to President Mason before her remarks – she sends her congratulations to all Tippie graduates.  I had the privilege of awarding a Dean’s Achievement Award to Vanessa Duarte.  Vanessa has been a very involved Tippie student – Finance major, Spanish minor and International Business Certificate, leadership positions with Sigma Lambda Gamma, invovlement with the Multicultural Business Student Association, Hawk Trade, the Accounting Club and Women in Business.  Vanessa also received the Claudia Marban Scholarship which supported her market research internship in Madrid.  Tippie students Monica Lara (Marketing major, French major, and International Business Certificate), Ninoska Garcia (Management major and Psychology minor), Jazmine Constantino (Management major) received Student Leadership Awards.  Congratulations to Jazmine, Ninoska, Monica, and Vanessa.

We have interesting news for this Saturday’s (May 18^th; 5:00 P.M.) Tippie Commencement at Carver Hawkeye Arena (http://tippie.uiowa.edu/news/commencement.cfm).  Tippie student Nils Thors0n will sing the national anthem.  There is a great story about Nils in today’s IowaNow publication – http://now.uiowa.edu/2013/05/o-say-can-he-sing.  Nils was in my International Business class that met in London over the Winter break.  Also, our Commencement speaker, Sheri Salata, President of OWN (the Oprah Winfrey Network), is featured in the recent Corridor Business Journal.

I heard from Tippie grad Chad Wells the other day.  Chad recently graduated from Long Beach State with his M.A. in Sports Management receiving a 4.0 and the outstanding capstone award from the program upon graduation. While at Long Beach State, Chad worked with the University of Southern California Football team. During his time at Tippie, Chad worked with the Iowa football team.  Chad recently moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to begin a full time job with the San Francisco 49ers.   Congratulations to Chad.  Though I am a Green Bay Packers fan, I may have to cheer for the 49ers now that Chad is working for the team.