MLS Graduation for Philip

This weekend, Philip graduated from Michigan Lutheran Seminary, Saginaw.  Philip is the fifth graduate among the Schroeders from MLS in the past seven years.  And for the first time since 2009, we will not be making trips to MLS to watch our children play sports, sing in the choirs, etc....

Philip, like all other seniors in 2020, ended his senior year in disappointing quarantine status with online classes since March 13.  The worst of it, at least for Philip, was being robbed of these final months with his classmates.  He did not even really get to say goodbye to them.  When you live with these people in dormitories for four years, this abrupt end is particularly hard.  All in all, Philip has handled it exceptionally well.  And if there is good news to be had, many of his classmates are expecting to be in New Ulm, Minnesota next fall at Martin Luther College.  God willing, he will move into the dorms and attend classes live and in person next fall.

Philip was awarded a few scholarships.  Most noteworthy is that Philip is the first recipient of the Hannah M. Kieta Memorial Scholarship.  Hannah was a classmate of Faith and was killed in a car accident last August.  Hannah excelled in German, and the scholarship was awarded to Philip who intends to continue studying German at MLC next year.

Because of the COVID-19 lockdown, we had to watch Philip's graduation in virtual fashion.  We met in our church and watched it projected on the big screen.  You can watch the virtual graduation here:

We are quite proud of Philip and his accomplishments, even though his senior year was certainly a strange year with unexpected challenges--beginning with a football season that lasted 15 minutes because of an injury on the first day of practice to ending with a stay-at-home quarantine because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In any case, here are some photos related to Philip's graduation.  (Hat tip to Vanessa Hose for taking the family photo.  Thanks!)

Philip with the MLS Class of 2020.

The classic "A boy loves his mother" photo, a graduation tradition of each Schroeder boy.

MLS alumni -- Classes of 2020, 2018, 2016, 2014, 2013, and 1988.