Update for May 19

Message from Helen Robbins-Meyer, Chief Administrative Officer

It’s the time of year we celebrate one of life’s big milestones: graduation. From high schools, college, or other levels of education. I know it’s a huge disappointment to grads – and the families that helped get them there – that it’s happening this year without all the pomp and circumstance. That shouldn’t in any way dampen the sense of achievement everyone feels. If anything, getting to that finish line with all the recent hurdles makes it all the more impressive.

In a normal year, they’d be listening to commencement speeches telling them how life will bring many challenges and about the need for persistence and determination. This year, we’re all living those words.

And they always talk about looking forward. We’re in a rough time, and we still have a difficult road ahead, but we will get through. What you’ve shown in responding to this crisis gives me great hope for the future.

I hope you’ll join me in offering congratulations to all of the grads out there, and that includes those in our County family – our student workers and those pursuing degrees on top of their job. It’s an immense accomplishment. If the moment comes without some of the traditional hoopla, it still deserves our recognition and should be a source of tremendous pride.