Meet (Some of) the Class of 2022!

On Saturday, close to 750 students will participate in Rockhurst University’s commencement ceremony — returning to Municipal Auditorium for the first time since the pandemic forced the 100^th commencement ceremony to the virtual realm in 2020.

As one might expect, commencement comes with a mix of emotions for many of the graduates – pride in accomplishments, sadness at the thought of leaving a place of so many memories and friends, uncertainty about the future, and excitement at what might lie ahead. That’s especially so considering how much of their experience as students has been shaped by big world events. Below are what some of the graduating students had to say as they get closer to the big day.

Mhlabase Ndhlovu

Mere days after finishing an intense Master of Science in Nursing curriculum, Mhlabase Ndhlovu found herself asking about doctoral programs in health education.

Though exhausted by finishing her master’s coursework and clinicals, she still felt compelled to explore that next step. And it might just be destiny, she said.

Growing up in Zambia, Ndhlovu’s mother cycled to remote villages to do everything from midwifery to marriage counseling to teaching families about nutrition by way of soybeans — especially important in a place where other sources of protein, like meat, remain expensive. She would return periodically to check on the children and with the families. Starting at age 6, Ndhlovu would join her mother on these trips, and it would instill values and a passion for improving the health of her home country that has carried her through both tragedy and the challenges of being a single working mother in college.

“My mother helped many families for 20 years with no compensation, and I never heard her complain,” she said. “When I was 16, my mother tragically died after being hit by a speeding car. I am humbled and proud to say that my mother's passion for helping others and the life experiences I shared with her inspired me to become a nurse.”

The promise of education — and the deaths of her father and numerous siblings — drew her to the U.S. But she said once she earns a doctorate, she hopes to head back to her home country to continue the sort of education and work that her mother tirelessly exemplified.

Emily Dickson

The beauty of the Jesuit mission and core values is how so many people, Catholic or otherwise, can relate to them.

For Emily Dickson, who came to Rockhurst in part because it was a Jesuit school (though she was raised as a Unitarian Universalist) and because of a cross country scholarship, those values resonated deeply within her — so much so that she leaves Rockhurst as both a nurse and a Catholic.

Dickson was officially confirmed to the Church on Easter Vigil (April 18) this year, the culmination of a journey that took shape at Rockhurst, especially in the Catholic social teaching course taught by University President the Rev. Thomas B. Curran, S.J. She identified with not the sacraments as well as the teachings of care for the Earth and each other. Her faith, she said, helped her through grief and connected her in new ways to her fellow students.

“My friends of all faiths were so excited for my confirmation, and people I don't even know have come up to congratulate me,” Dickson said. “I think Rockhurst is such a spiritually welcoming place to students of all faiths — what is important here is that you feel comfortable connecting to something bigger than yourself to help you through life's challenges and joys.”

In addition to her faith, Dickson has been a campus leader throughout her time at Rockhurst. But she said some of her proudest moments came through cross country — like working to secure a grant for a local Girls on the Run running team or finding success with the Hawks squad during a particularly inclement cross country meet her sophomore year.

“Our team came together to get fourth place at the GLVC conference championships and qualify for regionals. I set the program record in the 6k at regionals,” she said. “The weather was terrible, but our team had a great attitude, and it was the best race of my life!”

Will Kuenne

Ask Will Kuenne how a metal-wound string can produce beautiful sound, and strap in. The biomedical engineering major is getting a minor in music and brought the two together for his senior capstone project, focusing on what happens “from the pluck of your hand to the physics principles within the ear and then what happens in your brain as you are playing,” he said.

While he has played guitar since first grade, at Rockhurst Kuenne said he became a very different musician during his time at Rockhurst from the moment he tried out for the University’s Chamber Singers and Timothy McDonald, Ph.D., professor of music, asked if was interested in joining Musica Sacra, University’s classical sacred musical ensemble and chorus.

“I can remember getting there and Dr. McDonald handing me three pieces that were all over 60 pages long and none of them were in English,” he said. “It was the first time I was introduced to the Baroque era and turned into one of the best things to happen to me as a musician.”

McDonald also encouraged Kuenne to take a solo as part of Musica Sacra — something he said he now counts among his favorite memories at Rockhurst.

As he moves on to the University of Kansas for master’s work in bioengineering, Kuenne said he’s grateful for all the connections he’s made at Rockhurst — both between subjects and between people.

“We're really blessed to have such a strong student population here and I'm proud to know the small fraction that I do,” he said.

Zander Haddad

At a time when a lot of teachers are experiencing burnout and leaving the profession, Zander Haddad is part of the next wave going in.

The St. Louis native and secondary education and Spanish major will stay in Kansas City following graduation to teach high school Spanish. And his motivation to do so has a lot to do with his experience as a student at Rockhurst, in particular some advice from the University’s president, the Rev. Thomas B. Curran, S.J.

“My freshman year, Fr. Curran spoke to my intro to education course and told us to ‘enter the chaos,’” he said. “Ever since hearing those words, whether in my leadership or in my profession, I strive to enter the chaos.”

But that’s not just advice for his future career — it’s something he’s internalized as an orientation leader and as a University ambassador. Over the last three years especially, he said he and other student leaders have used that advice when facing sometimes difficult circumstances.

“Something that comes to mind is Orientation 2020. The coordinator team, in the matter of a week, reworked the entire orientation weekend to be COVID safe,” Haddad said. “I have never seen people work with something so difficult and be able to adapt and change to any situation that might arise with something that is ever evolving.”

Anna Schultz

Making the choice to go to study pre-veterinary science was easy, according to Anna Schultz — she’s been interested since treating her own two cats growing up with a toy stethoscope. Choosing where to go to vet school was a lot harder.

“I made about 1,000 pro and con lists, called the schools and chatted with multiple ambassadors, talked with almost the entire Rockhurst biology department faculty, and talked through my choices constantly with my parents,” she said.

In the end, Schultz chose to head for the Ivy League at Cornell University, both for the offerings and the opportunities that it might bring.

“I decided on Cornell primarily because I am interested in specializing in zoo or wildlife medicine, and Cornell has one of the very best exotic animal programs available in the world,” she said. “It is an incredible institution with a very widespread and talented alumni network, and the research that they do is second to none.”

Schultz said she was thankful for her experience at Rockhurst – from the faculty who taught her and helped her with her decision to the student life opportunities that shaped her as a leader. She encouraged present and future Hawks to take advantage of similar opportunities afforded by a smaller campus.

“I encourage younger students to put themselves out there and apply for those positions,” she said. “You will grow so much and learn about yourself and how to work with others, which is absolutely invaluable. Lastly, enjoy your time in college and soak it in. It goes by way too fast.”