Ashland University Grad, Olympic Gold Medal Winner To Speak At Commencement

Graduation hat and diploma on table

Photo: Getty Images

ASHLAND, Ohio – Plans are finalized for Ashland University’s Winter 2021 Commencement, taking place on Saturday, Dec. 18, inside Kates Gymnasium. The ceremony, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., will be for both undergraduate and graduate students. Please note face masks are required for those attending.

Commencement will be streamed so that families and friends unable to attend can still watch their loved ones celebrate this milestone. The link will be live at 9:45 a.m.: https://boxcast.tv/view/2021-ashland-university-winter-commencement-964394.

Katie Nageotte ’13, gold medalist in the women’s pole vault at the Tokyo Summer Olympics this past summer, will return to campus to provide the keynote address. She majored in psychology with a minor in fashion merchandising while at Ashland.

Since completing her education at Ashland, Nageotte has developed into one of the premier track & field athletes in the world. A two-time NCAA Div. II national champion in the pole vault while with the Eagles, she turned professional and just missed earning a spot on Team USA by finishing fifth at the 2016 Olympic Trials. Nageotte persevered, continued to improve and broke through by clearing 4.91 meters (16 feet, 1 inch) to win the 2018 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships. She ranked as the world’s top pole vaulter in 2020 and backed that up by qualifying for and then winning gold with a mark of 4.90 meters in Tokyo.

More on Winter 2021 Commencement, including the Baccalaureate service, lineup and procession information, seating information, how to order photos, etc., is available here.

Ashland University is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content