The Graduation Album… Finally!

At long last, your waiting shall be rewarded. Sit back, get comfy, and prepare to enjoy the coolest graduation pictures. EVER.

(It’s my blog, and I’ll use hyperbole as I see fit.)

My parents and I had lunch with Judge Mary Harper. My externship and subsequent conversations with, work for, and advice from her proved to be some of the most wonderful and rewarding experiences of law school. What a wonderful woman; what a wonderful mentor to have!

As I prepared to leave Valpo, the city was so terribly distraught that they decided to rip up the sidewalk below my apartment, and replace it with a large plaque reading, “The Gal was here, and she was awesome.” Here’s the work in progress.

Mums and I get dolled up for the Champagne Reception. We once again sort of unintentionally coordinated our outfits. Great minds really do think alike, you see.

Mums and Daddio. I’ve got the coolest parents.
Mums and I hang out with one of my favorite couples–Becca and Jeromy Cannon–and Becca’s mom (who, according to unanimous opinion, looks like she’s only about 2 years older than Becca. We don’t know how that’s possible, but I swear, I think she might be younger than me).

The Moot Court buddies, Mike Ruff and Josh Brown, pose for a pre-grad shot below a clear-blue sky.And the Car Guys: Nate Winger and Chris Mitchell. If either of these guys decides law isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, you can be sure you’ll see them in the credits for stunt coordination and advisory roles in the upcoming The Fast & The Furious 4: The Barrister Battles.

Mike Ruff, me, and Josh Brown.

Me with Mums (Ike and Mike, they smile alike…)
The lovely Katie Peterson and her handsome beau Tim Emerick with me and Nathan Winger
Mike Ruff, Katie Peterson, Josh Brown, and moi!
Mike Ruff, Katie Peterson, and Josh Brown
Self-portrait time, ya’ll! Daddio pops in for a trademarked “armpit shot”
Lined up and waiting our cue to proceed into the chapel for the graduation ceremony, the graduates take a moment to read through the programs to see if our names were spelled correctly. (Mine was right in the listing o’ graduates, but was wrong in the Summa Cum Laude listing. Sigh.)
My “Walkin’ Partner” (who I was paired with for the processional and recessional), Kelly Borchers.
A long line of graduates wraps around the outside of the chapel.
A shot of the front of the chapel and its impressive stained glass windows made even more impressive by the brightly-shining sun outside.
Daddio takes a look at the thousands of people gathered in the church as the processional begins.

The Official Scepter Dude leads the processional. Yes, that’s really his title. It’s a legal term. Trust me, I’m a lawyer (tm Tim’s shirt).

The Gal, beaming excitedly, strolls into the chapel before a full house crowd. (“Full house” meaning lots of people, not Full House. Bob Saget wasn’t there. I mean, maybe he was, but I didn’t know about it.)

Who’s that handsome fella in the National Geographic-esque rectangle?? Why, that’d be the incomparable Michael Ruff!
That’s Lee Iaccoca. That’s not Michael Ruff. Michael Ruff is much younger than that. Duh.
The Official Scepter Dude leads the Official Graduation Crew up the stairs.
It’s like being in Willy Wonka’s factory–suddenly, everyone gets very very tiny!
Row upon row of graduates, each with their doctoral hood draped over their left arm, listens to the opening greeting.
Through the crowd, a distinctive beautiful grin shines through… that of Ms. Katie Peterson!
Photographer credits for this photo go to Ms. Linda Canada who kindly offered to take my picture amongst my fellow graduates, as my efforts to take my own picture in self-portrait format were failing.
Manda Clevenger (lower left) and Melissa Brinker (lower right) notice the ever-so-sly Gal standing on her tiptoes to take a Grad-View Photo.
The floating head of Lee Iaccoca delivers the commencement address.
The front of the chapel, from my point of view.
Timerick (Tim Emerick) proceeds to have one of his professors “hood” him after receiving his faux-diploma (we got our real diplomas upon the return of our rented graduation gowns).
Professor JoEllen Lind places the hood around Tim’s shoulders, while Tim studies his shoes intently.
Bet you can’t figure out which graduate in the following line is me… hehe

Yes, that is what I was actually saying to him as I shook his hand. (The best part is, you have no idea whether or not I’m kidding, do you? heh)
Check that out–two of the Holy Trinity were hooders (Professors Dooley and Lind). And the third hooder, Professor Susan Stuart, absolutely rocks too. We had a good trio of hooders. In the following photo, my head is blocking Professor Dooley’s as she leans in to place the hood on my shoulders.
Professor Dooley gives me a big congratulations hug.
Still grinning from ear to ear, I proceed down the stairs after receiving my hood, and head back to my seat in the pew.
At age 27, one would think that the urge to crane my neck to get yet another photo taken would dissipate. One would be sorely mistaken.
As the graduates lined up to receive their diplomas, the line went right beside me, so I had a few select graduates say “Cheese!” as they waited to head up the stairs. Katie “Best Cookies Ever” Peterson smiles happily, moments before receiving her faux-diploma.
Katie, my fellow summa cum laude classmate, receives her hood from Professor Lind.
Mike Ruff gets caught by the Bracke Photographers yet again… first by Steve (a.k.a. Daddio)…
…and then by The Gal (a.k.a. “me”).
Mike takes the stair-walking very seriously. (I couldn’t get a shot of him receiving his hood; too many velvet graduation caps in the way.)
Nathan shows off his perfectly-coordinated purple tie as he waits to receive his faux-diploma.
Shelly Steiner, managing high heels despite being very pregnant with twin girls, receives her hood from Professor Susan Stuart.

Meanwhile, Nathan strolls up to Dean Jay Conison to receive a hearty handshake and his faux-diploma.
Nathan then receives a handshake from one of his favorite professors, Professor Lind.

A shot of the graduates, all wearing their hoods… we really did it! We gradumacated!Uh-huh.
Professor Rosalie Levinson is to Katie Peterson as Professor Laura Dooley is to The Gal. Remember that. It will likely show up on the next LSAT.
Katie, me, and Mike display celebratory grins after graduating.
My grandmother, Sharon, looks lovely in petal pink in a post-graduation photo.
This is one of my favorite photos from graduation–me and the one and only Mike, maker of AMAZING North African cuisine, and giver of the only houseplant I’ve ever been able to keep alive. Knock on wood.
My Daddio’s parents, Sharon (a.k.a. “Gram”) and George (a.k.a. “G.P.”) pose happily with the graduate.
Our class’s sponsor, Professor James Loebl (yeah, that’s right–the Twist King!) pauses for a happy shot with yours truly after delivering a poignant but humorous address to the graduating class.
The graduate and The Proud Parents. (Photo credit to Alan Peterson, Super Cool Dad of Super Cool Katie.)
Never one to shy away from the chance to be the center of attention, The Gal leaps up to the podium and delivers a commencement speech of her own. And no, she was not fazed whatsoever by the fact that the chapel was empty and no one was listening. You know her better than that.
“Heh, I pretended to give a graduation address from this very podium.”
Summa Cum Lovely! Moi and Katie
The Brackes Take Valparaiso! Daddio, Mums, me, Gram, and G.P.
There are no words. Professor Dooley rocks.
Daddio snapped a shot of the chapel in which the graduation ceremony was held. Look at that beautiful sky. It was a perfect day.
Daddio attempts to take an “armpit shot” of him with the other four of us, but in typical “Bighead” fashion, manages to totally eclipse his father right out of the shot.
Take 2: Resigning himself to taking a photo the traditional way (i.e., with his head not actually being the center focal point), Daddio takes a picture of me, Mums, Gram, and G.P. preparing to enjoy a delicious, scrumptious meal at Bistro 157.

That’s all, folks… FOR NOW! More photos, coming soon.