On commencement day, there is a particular kind of joy that fills the audience members. It lives in the noise, the cheering that breaks out before a name is even finished being called, families arrive with flowers and cameras set to capture the moment, the laughter that spills out from groups of friends who have spent four years becoming family. At Eastern University’s commencement, that joy was seen everywhere. And when students talked about where it came from, the answer was almost always the same: each other.
The class of 2026 is a class that came from everywhere. From North Philadelphia and Long Island, from Burkina Faso and Togo, from the suburbs of Pennsylvania and the wide plains of Texas. They arrived as strangers on a small campus in St. Davids and left as something bound together by the particular magic of a school small enough that you know everyone’s face, and tight-knit enough that those faces become some of the most important ones in your life.
Ask any of them what made Eastern home, and they won’t mention the buildings. They’ll mention a name.
Jason Karch, a communication studies major and distance runner from Medford, New Jersey, lit up when talking about his time at Eastern. The community, he said, isn’t something the school manufactures, it’s something that just happens when you put the right people in a small enough space. “You could walk around, you’re gonna see people you know, say hi to them,” he said with a grin. “I’ve made so many friends within this graduating class, people below me, people above me,” showing that his happiest memories weren’t made in a classroom. They were made in early morning practices, on long runs with teammates who became brothers.
“Being on my team for cross country and track and field that was my best experience,” he said. “Improving our times, but improving our relationships, that was just such an awesome experience at Eastern.” He smiled. “Being a student at Eastern is not only about doing your schoolwork. It’s about being a part of a community.” When asked who at Eastern made the biggest difference, Karch couldn’t narrow it down to one person. He rattled off names from the communications department Dawn Francis, Jennifer Hennessy-Booth, John Doyle, Susannah McMonagle and then kept going, into athletics, coaches and teammates. “There are so many people I could thank,” he said.
Joshua Barlow came to Eastern with a plan and executed it. By leaning on his advisor, Mary Jo, from his very first summer getting his schedule mapped out, he also credited Delano Shane for helping him navigate his freshman year. “Just the way that he helped me in certain situations when I was coming in my freshman year,” Barlow said. For him, Eastern’s greatest strength was simply “A sense of community. Everybody is just coming together because we’re so small, and most people know each other, even if you don’t, you’ve seen their face around. I think other bigger schools don’t really have that sense of community that Eastern has.”
Ben Souder, graduating with a bachelor’s in business administration from Sellersville, Pennsylvania, described Eastern as a place where nobody is left to figure things out alone. “It’s a very tight-knit and close community, and everybody’s here for the success of everyone,” he said. “There are a lot of people you can rely on and unlimited resources for you to succeed.” The person who made the biggest difference for Souder was Professor Leslie Elkin. “She really guided me through the whole journey,” he said. “She was someone whom I could rely on and was always there for me throughout it all.” Beyond her, he said, Eastern’s best part was clear: “All the amazing professors and great people on campus. It’s a real community.”
Ryan Williamson from Austin, Texas, came to earn his bachelor of business administration. He found his footing on the lacrosse field and in the business department. “David Smith and Professor Elkin, they really did a good job of supporting and guiding me throughout these past four years,” he said. And like so many of his classmates, he pointed to the classroom dynamic as something bigger schools simply can’t replicate. “You get much more of a one-to-one connection with your professors than in a bigger school.” For Williamson, the lacrosse team was where his Eastern experience came alive. “The people on the lacrosse team definitely made my experience.”
Hezekiah Thornton grew up just ten minutes from campus in North Philadelphia, but might as well have entered a different world when he arrived in St. Davids. “I’m from Philadelphia, it’s not really suburban, obviously it’s in the city,” he said. “So, going to the suburbs, I experienced a whole lot of different things, but they were for the better, for sure.” When asked who made the biggest difference, he offered three names without hesitation: Ms. Cherie, Ms. Martina and Ms. Sharina. “I couldn’t specifically name one person,” he said, laughing. Eastern, he said, taught him something bigger than football: how to adjust, how to grow, and how to exist alongside people whose lives looked nothing like his. “There is a whole bunch of different backgrounds and cultures here. A lot of people are from different places. So just adjusting to the new environment and learning that everybody is not the same.” Through all this his proudest moment at Eastern came from football. When he arrived, the team had nothing. They played games in their practice jerseys. Three years later, they won a MAC championship. “When I got to Eastern, we didn’t have anything,” he said. “To win a championship with all my friends that I came in and started with it definitely was like the best thing I’ve ever done.”
Brett Gagler transferred to Eastern from Cabrini. He wasn’t sure what to expect. What he found was a campus that welcomed him right away. His advisor, Adele Ressler, made the transition easy. Mercurio made his education classes fun. The lacrosse team made everything better. “The faculty here they’re not just trying to do their job,” he said. “They’re looking out for your best interest.” He’s graduating with a degree in middle-level education and says the personal attention is what sets Eastern apart. “You get much more of a one-on-one connection with your professors. It’s much more valuable for someone looking for a personalized experience.”
Oluwadamilola Akinboro is a biology major with a biochemistry minor from Philadelphia, originally from Nigeria. He says the person who made the biggest impact on him was Theresa Noye. “She’s poured a lot into me,” he said. “She’s believed in me since the beginning. She’s always rooted for me and given me the best advice. I couldn’t be more grateful.” He’ll also miss his biology and chemistry professors, “I love my professors, all of them they’re amazing. I’m really gonna miss them.”
On what it means to be an Eastern student, he said it simply. “It’s to be someone that’s involved. Someone who wants to make an impact. That’s the true essence of being an Eastern student.”
Joseph Williams is a biblical studies major from Philadelphia. He came to Eastern on purpose. He’d gone to Christian schools his whole life and wanted to continue that at college. Eastern’s commitment to faith, reason and justice is what drew him in. “That really drew me in,” he said. “And I was able to do that here.” His theology professor, Stephen Boyer, challenged him the most through classes on Christian ethics, the Trinity and more. “He really allowed me to gain more insight about my faith and how to apply it,” Williams said. “When I graduate, and it’s my turn to speak the truth unto other people, I’m prepared for that.” He was also part of the student chaplain program and says getting involved on campus is the best thing any student can do. “It’s a good way to develop fellowships and relationships that will last a very, very long time.”
Anisah Smith is a marketing and business administration major from Long Island, New York. She says getting involved is what made her experience. “Just going through the classes and doing what you need to do sometimes really isn’t enough,” she said. Jeff James was the one who changed things for her connecting her with an internship and opening doors she didn’t know to look for. “He really made me feel like I wouldn’t be completely lost.” What Eastern has that bigger schools don’t, she said, is people who genuinely care. “Professors that look out for you, coaches that really are doing things in your best interest I don’t think those same opportunities exist at bigger schools.”
Samantha Swarr is a psychology major from Collegeville, Pennsylvania. She was honest that Eastern wasn’t her first choice. “I started to resent it,” she said. “But I wasn’t giving it a chance. And when I actually started to give it a chance, I actually loved it.” The person who made the biggest difference for her was her boss, Ruby Baker. “Her patience, her caring, her ability to stay calm in every situation.” Her advice to incoming students is practical. “Use your resources. Use your professor’s office hours. It’s a small college. They love to get to know their students.”
Mac Macolino is a history major from Germantown, Philadelphia. His advisor, Dr. Reimer, was one of his first teachers in his freshman year and one of the most important people in his Eastern journey. “He was so helpful, so supportive, and he challenged me in really amazing ways,” Macolino said. What will he remember most? The people. “I am already carrying them with me into the rest of my life. The people here have made such a beautiful impact on me.” His advice: “Take advantage of the community while you’re here. A small school is a good thing. You will find people here that you really love.”
Astou Diallo came to Eastern from Burkina Faso in West Africa to study health sciences. She says Eastern’s community is the real thing. “A lot of schools say they’re community-based,” she said. “But at Eastern, you can feel it. The family vibe is there.” She credited her friends, her ACU board members, including Iyenani Zabadi and her family for making her experience what it was. “A lot of challenging stuff happened,” she said. “But the best part is just meeting the people. The people made the Eastern experience for me.”
Juliet Atiamon is a nursing graduate originally from Togo, West Africa. She lived in residential life and says the staff there shaped her as much as anything. Ms. Sharina, Ms. Sabrina, and Mr. Rita were the people she leaned on most. “They helped me a lot in my younger years here, just growing into an adult,” she said. “All the advice and talks we had I learned a lot.” ACU was the other highlight of her time at Eastern. “We’ve got to have fun, have like-minded people, build community. We made a lot of memories.” Her overall read on Eastern is warm and simple. “Everyone is just so nice. You really do find your group of friends.”
The chairs emptied. The families went home. The gowns came off. But the Class of 2026 is leaving with more than a diploma cover. They’re leaving with the friendships, the mentors, the memories and the people who made four years at this small campus in St. Davids feel like home.
