May 2, 2025–含羞草社区 will celebrate the achievements of 350 graduates during two spring commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 10 in the MWSU Fieldhouse in the M.O. Looney Complex. The public is invited.听
The University will confer 290 undergraduate degrees and 60 graduate degrees in two ceremonies. Graduates come from Missouri and 19 other states as well as seven foreign countries.听
The first ceremony, beginning at 11 a.m., will celebrate graduates from the College of Science and Health. Doors will open at 10:15 a.m.
The second ceremony, beginning at 3 p.m., will celebrate graduates from General Studies, the College of Business and Professional Studies and the College of Liberal Arts. Doors will open at 2:15 p.m.听
A brief reception will follow each ceremony in the Looney practice gym, sponsored by the Missouri Western Alumni Association.听
The guest speaker for commencement will be Tim Houlne 鈥�86. Houlne graduated from Missouri Western with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Finance and Management. He is founder and CEO of Humach, a Dallas-based provider of AI technology-driven contact center solutions. Heco-authored the Amazon best seller, 鈥淭he New World of Work,鈥� and the second edition, 鈥淭he Cube, The Cloud, and What鈥檚 Next.鈥� The Houlne Center for Convergent Technology was named in appreciation of Houlne鈥檚 generous contribution to its construction and operation.
Student representatives Viola Toma and Kendra Simpson will also speak at their respective ceremonies.
Toma, from Kansas City, Missouri, will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and speak at the 11 a.m. ceremony. Toma has overcome homelessness and battled cancer on her road to success. As a non-traditional first generation student and a single parent, Toma still carved time out to volunteer at Head Start through Community Action Partnership St. Joseph.听
Simpson, from St. Joseph, Missouri, will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Convergent Journalism and Public Relations and speak at the 2 p.m. ceremony. Simpson served as news editor and editor in chief for Griffon Media, and was awarded several state and national awards for her work. Simpson has mastered the art of storytelling through her award-winning work with Griffon Media, which has carried over to her current position as multimedia journalist and weekend anchor with St. Joseph鈥檚 News-Press Now.听
Other public commencement-related activities include:
- Physical Therapy Assistant Pinning Ceremony, 7 p.m. Friday, May 9, Kemper Recital Hall Spratt 101聽
- Respiratory Therapy Pinning Ceremony, 8 a.m. Saturday, May 10, Murphy Hall 2nd Floor
- Nurses Pinning Ceremony, 8:30 a.m. Saturday, May 10, Fulkerson Center
含羞草社区 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .听