1,875 graduate at spring commencement

Roughly 1,875 students graduated from Western Washington University in three spring Commencement ceremonies that took place in Carver Gymnasium June 13.

Main speakers were Robin Russell (’81 and ’82), a finance and investment industry executive, Dick Thompson (’65), a retired state government executive, and Todd Lindley (’83), a financial planner.

Russell, the speaker at the 9 a.m. ceremony, is a member of Western Washington University Foundation board of directors and former president of the Western Alumni Association. She has more than 25 years of experience in the finance, investment and estate planning industry. Most recently, she was a senior client adviser and team manager for Laird Norton Wealth Management, specializing in financial planning, investment management and estate planning for multi-generation families. She is also a member of the Children’s Hospital Advisory Council and a former board member of Camp Fire Central Puget Sound.

Thompson, the speaker at the 12:30 p.m. ceremony, is retired from a distinguished career in public service that has included key executive positions at universities, state agencies and nonprofit organizations. He served as director of Government Relations and interim director for Athletics at the University of Washington, led the departments of Community Development and Social and Health Services and the Office of Financial Management for the state of Washington, and served as president and chief professional officer for the United Way of King County. Today, he is a consultant specializing in state and local government issues.

Lindley, the speaker at the 4 p.m. ceremony, is a financial planner and owner of Lindley Financial Services in Montesano. Lindley specializes in comprehensive financial planning and oversees more than $100 million in client-invested assets. Lindley is also a longtime youth soccer coach in his community, who began learning about the game when he volunteered to coach his 6-year-old son’s team. He went on to coach both his children’s teams and several others and has taken four teams to state championships. Lindley and his wife, Gerrilynn, fund scholarships through the Grays Harbor Community Foundation and through the Western Alumni Association.

The 9 a.m. ceremony included candidates from the College of Business and Economics, the College of Fine and Performing Arts, Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies and Huxley College of the Environment. At 12:30 p.m., candidates from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (Humanities Division) graduated along with those from Woodring College of Education. At 4 p.m. was the ceremony for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (Social Sciences Division) and the College of Science and Engineering.

In addition to the keynote speaker, a WWU student spoke at each commencement ceremony.

Christopher Quilici spoke at the 9 a.m. ceremony. Quilici graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre with concentrations in Acting and Dramatic Writing and a minor in Creative Writing. He was president of Student Theatre Productions and assistant director of “/faust,” a student-devised play that debuted this month. He is also a graduate of Mariner High School in Everett.  

The 12:30 p.m. speaker was Nick Bolvin, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and a minor in Japanese. Bolvin is a graduate of South Whidbey High School and hopes to work in video game production. He aspires to challenge the antisocial stereotypes related to gaming and instead highlight the fact that video games are something that everyone can play.

Michala Dymond-Shaw spoke at the 4 p.m. ceremony. Dymond-Shaw graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and a minor in Economics. Outside of her studies at Western, she volunteered with elderly residents at St. Francis of Bellingham and worked with clients with developmental disabilities at Puffin Island LLC in Everson. A graduate of Kentlake High School, Dymond-Shaw will begin graduate school in Speech-Language Pathology at Western in the fall.