The Virtual Celebrations

About the 2021 Student Speaker

For Michael (Mike) Desch, the finish line sometimes felt far away.

Throughout his college career, which began in 2013, Desch struggled with his mental health, which didn’t make the college experience easy. At times he failed classes and once took a semester off from school, but he never gave up.

Desch continued to push through anxiety and depression during his time at WSU and never lost sight of the finish line — no matter how far away it felt.

Instead of barraging himself with negativity, he accepted the harsh semesters and told himself the next one would be better. Because of his determination to focus on his own mental wellbeing and continue his steps forward, Desch will be graduating this spring with a degree in Applied Computer Science-Bioinformatics. He was selected as the Spring Commencement Speaker for the virtual ceremony.

Grads, It’s All About You

Congratulations, you did it! You’ve earned your degree, and you deserve to celebrate that amazing achievement.

Here are a few ideas for celebrating in social distance style to make this day special.

Show Your #WarriorPride On Social Media

Masters & Doctoral Graduates

Support the Class of 2021

Even as your student went on their journey at WSU, you were there too– supporting them, giving them strength and sharing their joy along the way.

Now, show your graduate how proud you are of their accomplishments, whether you’re family, a friend, an employer, a professor, a fellow WSU alumni.

Meet the Class of 2021

After years of hard work, the Class of 2021 is ready to graduate. They’ve pushed themselves to gain new skills and overcome challenges. They’ve built friendships and created memories that will last a lifetime.

Everyone at WSU is excited to see how our newest Warrior graduates will go out and continue improving our world.

Learn about the criteria for graduation with honors and how WSU sends notices to hometown media.