Regina Biddings-Muro, keynote speaker at Purdue University Northwest’s graduation, encouraged students to pledge to be brave.
“Persist … or your dreams will die. Find courage to face the most difficult challenge in your lives,” Biddings-Muro said in her address to the graduating class on May 4.
Purdue Northwest’s spring 2024 graduating class included 834 candidates, with 685 earning baccalaureate degrees and 149 earning master’s degrees. Biddings-Muro told students that rising to new opportunities requires stepping outside of their comfort zone to unlock potential they never imagined.
In her address, Biddings-Muro drew on her experience as a student and a higher education administrator to illustrate how courage made a difference in her life. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communication from Purdue Northwest and her doctorate in higher education administration from Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois.
As an undergraduate, Biddings-Muro was nudged by her faculty mentors to interview for an internship at AM 1230 WJOB.
“The suit and shoes my mother bought me at Carson Pirie Scott could not possibly hide the fact that I had only one broadcasting class and no relevant experience,” she said. “I left that interview happy it was over and certain I would not get the job. I was wrong. A PNW faculty member had opened the door to launch my career.”
By Biddings-Muro’s senior year, she had two years at WJOB and an internship at CBS-TV. She later served in public relations roles at Inland Steel Co. and NIPSCO. She also served as Purdue Northwest’s vice chancellor of institutional advancement and as chief of staff.
Biddings-Muro spoke about other challenges she faced, such as moving away from her support system in Northwest Indiana for a job at California Lutheran University. Mustering courage in the face of a challenge will help you succeed, she told students.
“Commit to your ‘impossible goal’ because of what it will make of you to achieve it,” Biddings-Muro said. “Your journey will have surprise twists and turns that do not seem to make sense. This is normal. Persist … and your dreams will become reality.”
Purdue Northwest Chancellor Kenneth Holford applauded the graduates for their hard work and determination.
Purdue Northwest has campuses in Hammond and Westville. The university serves about 8,900 students. Students from 30 states and 50 countries attend PNW.
Caption: Purdue Northwest honored 834 candidates during its spring 2024 commencement ceremony. (Provided by Purdue University Northwest)
