William Penn Celebrates Its 2021 Graduates At Commencement

Lori Thomas, who is the Heart of America Conference Commissioner spoke at the 2021 William Penn graduation ceremony on Saturday.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – William Penn has been training its students for over 100 years now, with the strength that comes from its diversity.

The University traces its roots to 1873 when it opened its doors, celebrating their first graduate in 1875, a woman, in a time “when women didn’t go to college.” In 1902, the University graduated their first African-American.

This year, the University had students from 42 states and 22 foreign countries.

“That’s what makes this place special,” said William Penn President John Ottoson. “It’s a place where we learned that we can get along with people who don’t look like us, think like us, or believe like us. We can make the world a better place if we remember that as we go on.”

The day’s guest speaker was Lori Thomas, who is the Heart of America Conference Commissioner.

Thomas took the audience on a trip through her life and those moments that helped define her today.

“To the class of 2021. This chapter of your lives is closing. You will stumble along the way, but always remember, there is no winning and losing; there is only winning and learning. And never forget you are worthy of love and belonging.”

The graduates then found their way onto the lawn in front of Penn Hall, where they took part in the Blue and Gold Ceremony. The ceremony is a celebration of the student’s success to this point and welcomes the graduates into the William Penn Alumni Association.