End-of-Semester Convocation Ceremonies

After a long week of final exams, UD Rome students turned in textbooks, cleaned out their rooms, and gathered in the campus outdoor theater on the evening of Thursday 8 May for the end-of-semester convocation ceremonies.

The ceremonies opened with a mass offered by Msgr. Thomas Fucinaro. Then, as the sun set over Rome, casting a beautiful pink light across the Rome Campus, students listened to speeches given by Dean Peter Hatlie, Senior Director Alison Lytle, and Msgr. Thomas Fucinaro. The addresses thanked the Spring '08 Romers for their loyalty to the mission of the University of Dallas, for their good-natured participation in academic and student-life activities, and for their hard work over the course of an academically rigorous semester.

Speeches were followed by an aperitivo on the terrace of the dining hall and then by a sumptuous meal prepared by the mensa staff. The atmosphere was one of celebration, but one also tinged with sadness as students, faculty, and staff said goodbye to one another.

Melancholy did not remain in the air for long however. At an after-dinner gathering in the Aula Magna, the presentation of the Academic and Spirit Awards provided an opportunity for faculty and staff to express their admiration for student achievements. Following, the announcement of superlative titles provoked raucous laughter.

The last official event of the evening was a slide show organized by Rome Coordinator Renee Talamantez. Providing a visual recap of the semester, the slide show reminded students of their very first days in Rome; of their trips to the Bay of Naples, to Greece, and to Northern Italy; and of events held both on- and off-campus over the course of the past four months.

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