CHARLESTON, W.Va. — For University of Charleston President Dr. Marty Roth, commencement season is part of the best days of the year in higher education.
University of Charleston’s Spring 2022 Commencement Ceremony will be held Saturday in the Russell and Martha Wehrle Innovation Center Sports Arena. Roth said around 250 students are graduating during the Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony at 10 a.m. and 125 students are participating in the Graduate Commencement Ceremony at 1 p.m.
“We have the opportunity to celebrate with our students and their families, all their hard work and accomplishments as they’ve been pursuing their dreams, working hard and earning a variety of degrees,” Roth told 580-WCHS.
Roth added this graduating class has been through a lot in the past few years to get to this point including the COVID-19 pandemic, social issues and global issues.
“It’s a testament to their focus, dedication, hard work that they are able to learn from everything that is happening in the complicated world around us, but also kind of blocking out what they need to in order to accomplish their individual goal which is to earn their degree,” Roth said.
2002 UC alum Magie Cook will address the first ceremony. Cook, whose full name is Magdalena De La Cruz Cook Garcia, turned an $800 Fresh Salsa competition for the State of West Virginia win into Maggie’s All-Natural Fresh Salsa’s & Dips, growing the company into a multi-million-dollar business.
She sold the company to Campbell’s in 2015 and has gone on to become an award-winning entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker.
“We are proud of her and pleased she was able to take time out of her busy schedule to come back to Charleston. We are excited about the inspirational words she’ll undoubtedly be sharing with our graduates,” Roth said.
State Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth “Beth” D. Walker is speaking at the graduate graduation in the afternoon.