{"id":137528,"date":"2018-05-07T10:54:20","date_gmt":"2018-05-07T14:54:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?post_type=school-college-post&p=137528"},"modified":"2018-05-07T10:54:20","modified_gmt":"2018-05-07T14:54:20","slug":"neag-school-class-2018-celebrates-commencement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2018\/05\/neag-school-class-2018-celebrates-commencement\/","title":{"rendered":"Neag School Class of 2018 Celebrates Commencement"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Neag School of Education\u2019s Class of 2018 graduates and their guests joined faculty, staff, and administrators this past weekend in celebration of Commencement Weekend on the UConn Storrs campus.<\/p>\n

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\"Master\u2019s
Master\u2019s and sixth-year graduates from the Neag School celebrated Commencement at a reception on the Student Union patio on Saturday, May 5, 2018. (Photo credit: Frank Zappulla\/Neag School)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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The weekend kicked off on Saturday, May 5, with a celebratory reception honoring Neag School master\u2019s and sixth-year graduates, hosted on the Student Union patio prior to their Commencement ceremony at Gampel Pavilion. Check out photos from the Neag School master\u2019s and sixth-year reception<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On Sunday, May 6, UConn huskies Jonathans XIII and XIV joined the 150 Neag School undergraduate students in their processional to the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts. At the Undergraduate Commencement ceremony, a group of elementary school students from Neag School partner Southeast Elementary in Mansfield, Conn., performed the national anthem. Later in the program, they were joined by the Neag School\u2019s Class of 2018 music education majors, who performed a special tribute song dedicated to the late Ray Neag, a UConn alum and the benefactor after whom the Neag School is named. Neag, a UConn alum from the Class of 1956, passed away at age 86 this past month<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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See photos from the 2018 Neag School Undergraduate Commencement procession<\/a>,\u00a0ceremony<\/a>, reception<\/a>, and photo booth<\/a>.\u00a0Find photos from the Neag School master\u2019s and sixth-year celebration here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Special education advocate Howard Klebanoff \u201962 JD delivered the keynote address. Klebanoff, known as one of Connecticut\u2019s most distinguished attorneys specializing in special education law, spent more than 40 years representing families of children with special needs before retiring from active practice in 2017.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs you pursue your career, remember to seek solutions,\u201d Klebanoff told to the Class of 2018. \u201cDo not forget the importance of the synergistic relationships you can have with your colleagues, which often lead to important help and resources. Remember that learning never stops. Remember to disregard the naysayers, who say, \u2018You can\u2019t.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Klebanoff is also known at UConn for the Klebanoff Institute, which was established in 1997 in honor of his work in special education. The Institute\u2019s mission is to improve the quality of educational and other services to children and adults with disabilities and their families by conducting research, disseminating information, and directing training activities aimed at overcoming legal, ethical, and systemic impediments to such services.<\/p>\n

Sport management alumna Nellie Schafer \u201916 MS, now director of basketball operations for women\u2019s basketball at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., returned to campus to share with the Class of 2018 18 pieces of advice for their lives after graduation.<\/p>\n

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Following her remarks to the Class of 2018, sport management alum Nellie Schafer \u201916 MS captured a selfie with the Class of 2018. (Photo courtesy of Nellie Schafer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Among her words of wisdom, Schafer advised graduates to travel, to embrace diversity, to use podcasts as a way to learn about their profession, and not to fear failure. \u201cSay \u2018yes,\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cSaying \u2018yes\u2019 starts things. Saying \u2018yes\u2019 is how we grow. Saying \u2018yes\u2019 fuels knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition, the ceremony featured a special celebratory tribute to Ray Neag. Richard L. Schwab, former dean of the Neag School and Neag Endowed Professor of Educational Leadership, honored Neag\u2019s memory by sharing with the audience remarks about Ray and his wife, Carole, with whom Schwab became close over the past two decades. Schwab spoke about the Neags\u2019 legacy, including their extraordinary support of the Neag School of Education.<\/p>\n

\u201cRay was a visionary and highly intelligent in many common-sense ways,\u201d said Schwab as a slideshow of images featuring Ray and Carole Neag were displayed behind him on the stage. \u201cWhile the consummate nice guy, he was also a competitor and believed in doing one\u2019s best. When he invested in the Neag School, he was investing in our vision to become one of the top ranked schools in the nation. He saw education as the key to a just and vibrant America.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony also showcased two videos \u2014 the first featuring alumni, students, and faculty from across the Neag School<\/a>\u2014\u00a0and a second video<\/a> toward the end of the ceremony in which graduating seniors gave a glimpse into the activities and experiences they found most rewarding during their time at UConn.<\/p>\n

Access archived video of each ceremony at s.uconn.edu\/neagstream<\/a>. \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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\"A<\/a><\/div>
A Class of 2018 Neag School student heads out of the Gentry Building with fellow graduates on their way to the Undergraduate Commencement ceremony on May 6, 2018. (Photo credit: Frank Zappulla\/Neag School)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Class<\/a><\/div>
Class of 2018 graduates from the Neag School snap photos at the Gentry Building prior to the Undergraduate Commencement ceremony on May 6, 2018. (Photo credit: Frank Zappulla\/Neag School)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Class<\/a><\/div>
Class of 2018 Neag School grads line up in the Gentry Building in their regalia in preparation for the procession to the Undergraduate Commencement ceremony on May 6, 2018. (Photo credit: Frank Zappulla\/Neag School)<\/figcaption>
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\"A<\/a><\/div>
A Neag School Class of 2018 student gathers in the Gentry Building with fellow graduates prior to the Undergraduate Commencement ceremony on May 6, 2018. (Photo credit: Frank Zappulla\/Neag School)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Students<\/a><\/div>
Students and faculty in the Gentry Building prior to the Undergraduate Commencement ceremony. (Photo credit: Cat Boyce)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Family<\/a><\/div>
Family members and guests of the Neag School Class of 2018 fill Jorgensen Auditorium for the 2018 Undergraduate Commencement ceremony on May 6, 2018. (Photo credit: GradImages)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Class<\/a><\/div>
Class of 2018 Neag School grads walk up Glenbrook Road to the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts. (Photo credit: Frank Zappulla\/Neag School)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Neag<\/a><\/div>
Neag School Class of 2018 graduates walk together to the Undergraduate Commencement ceremony on May 6, 2018. (Photo credit: Cat Boyce\/Neag School)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Neag<\/a><\/div>
Neag School faculty and keynote speaker Howard Klebanoff (right) enjoy remarks from alum Nellie Schafer during the Undergraduate Commencement ceremony on May 6, 2018. (Photo credit: Frank Zappulla\/Neag School)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"The<\/a><\/div>
The Neag School\u2019s Class of 2018 undergraduates begin their procession to the Commencement ceremony. (Photo credit: Frank Zappulla\/Neag School)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Students<\/a><\/div>
Students from the Southeast Elementary School in Mansfield, Conn., perform the national anthem during the Neag School Undergraduate Commencement ceremony on May 6, 2018. (Photo credit: GradImages)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"A<\/a><\/div>
A Class of 2018 Neag School alum celebrates with family at the Undergraduate Commencement Reception on May 6, 2018. (Photo credit: GradImages)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Graduates<\/a><\/div>
Graduates from the Neag School Class of 2018 make their way to the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts for the Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony on May 6, 2018. (Photo credit: Cat Boyce\/Neag School)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"The<\/a><\/div>
The Neag School Class of 2018 undergraduates arrive at Jorgensen for the Commencement ceremony. (Photo credit: Frank Zappulla\/Neag School)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Neag<\/a><\/div>
Neag School Class of 2018 graduates gather in the Gentry Building for photos with friends prior to the Undergraduate Commencement ceremony on May 6, 2018. (Photo credit: Frank Zappulla\/Neag School)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Neag School of Education\u2019s Class of 2018 graduates and their guests joined faculty, staff, and administrators this past weekend in celebration of Commencement Weekend on the UConn Storrs campus.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":137529,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1855],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[1878],"class_list":["post-137528","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-neag"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-19 09:55:20","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137528","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=137528"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137528\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/137529"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=137528"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=137528"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=137528"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=137528"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=137528"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}