Graduation!!!!

I graduated this past weekend - one of the best Christmas gifts EVER! Here are a few of my more memorable photos and narration to my graduation process...note: click on images for larger viewing size. Thanks!

Step 1: Attend the Senior Honors Convocation to obtain gold honors cords:


Step 2: Attend graduation #1 of 2, the Order of the Engineer Ceremony. Take the oath of practicing as an ethical engineer. Wear unity circle of the engineer on the pinky finger of your working hand:

[Graduating class of SWE girls showing their Order rings]

[The Three CEAS Musketeers rocking their Order rings]

Step 2.5: Win one of three Outstanding Student Awards at the Order of the Engineer ceremony! Surprise!!!!

[Family]

[Daddy's Little Girl, no matter where life takes her!]

[Ashley's hott older 'sister'....or twin?]

[Favorite picture of the night: snuggling up to Grandpa's side, award in hand. The first time I saw how well this picture turned out I had to fight back tears.]

Step 3: GRADUATE. At the real thing. You know, downtown at the U.S. Cellular Arena with 2,017 other graduates.....eeep!

[About as decorated as your Christmas tree.......]

[BOOM, action shot! Courtesy of Zach's family: I am graduating here, accepting my diploma on the arena stage and shaking Dean Lovell's hand!!]

[Before.]

[During.]

[After!]

[Also during the ceremony.....]

Dad, via text to my phone: 'Ash, lean forward every now n then so we can take a pic of u'
Ashley: *leans forward*
Picture is immediately taken.

Step 4: Rejoice for now being entirely FREEEEEEEEEEEEE from homework and look back at a couple friend-photos. :)

[The Three CEAS Musketeers: Ashley, Zach, Sonja.
Knocking out classes as a team since Fall 2004.]

[We decorated our caps! S-W-E for Society of Women Engineers. Sonja, myself, and Elizabeth have each been very involved in SWE during our time at UWM. This photo also symbolizes S for Sonja, E for Elizabeth, and W for VW for Ashley..... :)]

[SWE girls all graduated!]

[Love this girl!!! Ashley with her Sonj.]

[The typical Ash-Sonj pose. :) ]