A student of distinction

(Please allow me a bit of a parental indulgence this week. I’ll put on my journalistic writing shoes for the column, but this dad is bursting with pride!)

When Jayna Domeier graduated from NRHEG in 2020, in the midst of a pandemic, she was recognized as co-valedictorian and was proud of her 4.0 GPA, even as she was distressed about missing the end of her senior year due to Covid-19.

Then she set her sights higher. 

Domeier’s goal was to try and continue that perfect GPA through her collegiate career at Winona State University.

Mission accomplished.

Domeier graduated from Winona State on May 9 with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education. Along with that summa cum laude distinction for the highest possible GPA, she was recognized the night before at the WSU Evening of Distinction Ceremony as the Outstanding Student in the music department. The evening was filled with laughter and tears as stories were shared for each honored student about their time in Winona.

Joined by her parents, Mark and Michelle of Ellendale, and her brother Anton, attending Minnesota State University - Mankato, and also her boyfriend Alex Schlief, Domeier proudly walked through the line to receive her diploma and prepared to embark on a career as a band director in a school yet to be determined.

“I finally got to walk across a stage!” she exclaimed after the ceremony.

Over 900 students graduated from Winona State for spring semester, divided into three ceremonies. Dr. Kenneth Janz, president of the university, personally greeted each graduate as they left the stage on their final journey out the doors of McCown Gymnasium and out into the bright sunlight greeting the freshly-minted graduates.

(Thanks for allowing me that. Michelle and I are so proud of Jayna! And this alum of WSU is just as happy to have her follow my path through a great place of higher learning!)

Word of the Week: This week’s word is barbermonger, which means one excessively concerned about appearance, as in, “The graduate was not a barbermonger on diploma day, only worried about if their tassel was on straight.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!