WSU awards two posthumous bachelor degrees

Don’t you just love it when something makes you feel proud? Not proud of yourself, but pride in something you’re connected to in some way.

For me last week it was my school, Wichita State University. Yes I was proud of the men’s basketball team beating O.U., but this jolt of pride had nothing to do with sports. It was the empathy shown by WSU when they awarded two posthumous bachelor degrees at Commencement Dec. 15 at Charles Koch Arena.

One went to Sam Weber, a person I’ve known since the day he was born. He died August 22 after suffering a severe head injury. His parents, Gary and Paula Weber, were extremely appreciative of the recognition given their son by WSU.

The university started showing sympathy and support when a WSU representative attended Sam’s funeral. Later Gary and Paula were contacted by Cheryl Miller, senior assistant dean of academic and staff operations at WSU. She is the person who coordinates the posthumous degrees.

“We get positive feedback. They (the families) have a deep sense of appreciation and gratitude when the university reaches out to them,” she said. “It shows that the student was important to the university and it’s at a time families need to hear that.”

Gary and Paula, who has been a friend since high school, (yes, that is a long time friendship) were pleased to accept Sam’s diploma at commencement.

Together they accepted the diploma and Challenge Coin on behalf of Sam, but also on behalf of the three rows of Sam’s friends who came from near and far. “They sat through the entire commencement just to hear Sam’s name announced,” Paula said.

“It was so bittersweet that he wasn’t able to go out and make a difference with his degree but to have people recognize he had done the work, and it didn’t make it any less that he has passed, was very important to us,” Paula said.

Cheryl checks to see if a deceased student qualifies for a posthumous degree, then contacts the parents. She admits it’s not the easiest part of her job, but in the end it is most definitely worth it.

“I have people from other schools call and ask me how we go about giving posthumous degrees. I just tell them, “‘treat them like they’re family,’”

Gary told me before this happened he thought colleges and universities were only interested in the bottom line.

“This changed my opinion about colleges, they do have a heart,” he said.

“This helps add closure,” Paula said. “And none of it would have happened without the kindness of WSU.”

Cheryl Miller told me that many other schools award posthumous degrees, but when I was in Koch Arena, watching those graduates cross the stage and then know that Sam also was recognized, I was proud to think, “Yes, I am a Shocker.”