Monmouth College will cause the City of Monmouth’s population to swell by more than 25 percent this weekend.
That’s because the College will hold its 161st Commencement exercises and host two Midwest Conference championships — outdoor track and field, and baseball. Combined, the three events are expected to attract more than 2,500 visitors to town Friday through Sunday.
Commencement activities get underway Friday with a concert. On Saturday, the baccalaureate service, Honor Walk and Senior Gala Dinner will take place. Commencement will be held at noon Sunday on the Wallace Hall Plaza with the commencement address to be given by critically acclaimed author Min Jin Lee.
Duane Bonifer, Executive Director of Communications & Marketing at Monmouth, shared one of his favorite things about Commencement:
“It’s wonderful to see the graduates interact with the faculty at the end. There’s a lot of hugs and a lot of tears on graduation day, and that, to me, talks about just the deep connection that students have with their faculty when they’re at Monmouth College,” Bonifer stated.
Friday and Saturday, the College will host the Midwest Conference outdoor track and field championships and the Midwest Conference baseball championship tournament.
They will be the fourth and fifth Midwest Conference championships that Monmouth will host this school year. The College has already hosted men’s basketball, football and tennis.
**Story provided by staff at Monmouth College**
