On a mild sunny day, the 118th commencement exercises were held Saturday, May 6, at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. The weather was perfect for the outdoor event at Ranger Stadium where friends and relatives gathered on the west bleachers facing the speakers and graduates in the center of the field.

University President Dr. Janet Cunningham introduced the keynote speaker, Mary Elaine Williams Nichols. The retired educator is a 1970 graduate of NWOSU. She went on to earn a master's degree from the University of Maryland and taught for many years. She served on the Oklahoma State Board o...