FORT WAYNE, Ind.—Following a heartfelt address from Professor Emeritus Dr. Dave Johnson, the Class of 2026 received their degrees today at the University of Saint Francis Commencement in the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
Saint Francis President Dr. Lance Richey offered congratulations to the graduates after Johnson encouraged them to embrace their journey ahead with appreciation. Johnson joined Saint Francis’ faculty in 1990 and taught courses across nursing, business, allied health and interdisciplinary studies.
“Today is a liminal space,” he told the graduates, “And a time for pause.”
Johnson asked the graduates to reflect on three words: wonder, wow and win.
Throughout his talk, Johnson used the illustration of a puzzle piece, expressing how it can be difficult to see how a particular “puzzle piece” fits or impacts a person in their life journey until later reflection.
Johnson recalled teaching his youngest son how to ride a bicycle as he discussed the concept of never missing the “wow moments.” After Johnson and his wife Rosie lost their oldest son to cancer, Johnson couldn’t bear to bring the bicycle out of the garage for a long time. With Rosie’s encouragement, he ultimately taught his four daughters and his youngest son how to ride on that same bicycle. He recalled his youngest son finally balancing and turning back to say, “Wow, dad!” as he rode. A literal wow moment.
Johnson further implored the graduates to think of the word win, and he drew upon a speech from former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz, who recently died. Holtz used the acronym WIN for “What’s Important Now.” The coach shared how a huddle in life with those close to you—to determine what’s important now—can have the same impact in moving forward in a positive direction as a huddle on the football field prepares for the success of the next play.
“In life, we don’t huddle enough,” Johnson said, urging graduates to huddle with loved ones, to huddle in prayer, and to carry a sense of wonder throughout those times. “To be inquisitive, to wonder, is your superpower,” he said.
“We want you to hang onto wonder,” Johnson said. “We want you to remember your academic background. It’s never been more needed. Experience the God of creation in those wild moments of sunrise and sunsets.
“You leave here with a lot of puzzle pieces, and you don’t have the box (to show the finished picture),” he said. “What’s important now? You hold the puzzle pieces and the wonder and it’s all connected. And you say, as I say, as Francis would say, praise be to our God.”
Saint Francis awarded 518 degrees to 428 undergraduate students and 62 graduate students. These totals included 54 students graduating in online programs and 64 students graduating from Saint Francis Crown Point.
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs. The academic structure at Saint Francis offers seven pathways: Humanities, Faith and Liberal Arts; Allied Health; Business and Leadership; Creative Arts and Digital Media; Education, Human Services and Community Care; Nursing; and Sciences and Medical Studies. In addition to its traditional programs, Saint Francis delivers workforce development healthcare programs in Fort Wayne, Crown Point, Gas City, Indianapolis, Lafayette and online. Saint Francis Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. A National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Five-Star Champion of Character institution, Saint Francis has 21 athletic programs boasting three individual and four team NAIA national championships. More than 1,900 students from a broad geographic region attend Saint Francis.