More than 340 Trulaske graduates are ready to take on the world

The Trulaske College of Business held its December 2023 graduation ceremony for students receiving a bachelor of science in business administration on Friday, Dec. 15, at the Hearnes Center. Students receiving master’s degrees from the college were recognized during the MU Graduate School ceremony on Friday in the same location. In total, the graduating class included more than 340 students.

The commencement speaker was Paul L. Vogel, BSAcc ’89, MAcc ’90, JD ’93, who serves on the Accountancy Advisory Board at the Trulaske College of Business and is an adjunct professor in the School of Accountancy and at the MU School of Law. He founded the Vogel Law Office in St. Louis, with his wife and business partner, Lynn Whaley Vogel. 

In his remarks, Vogel told graduating students: “If you are sitting in this room receiving a degree, I hope you know and believe that you have been well prepared to succeed, because you have. As you reflect on your college career, I hope you remember fondly the friends and connections you have made during your time at Mizzou. No just for the college memories, but for the professional and personal connections you have made that will help shape the rest of your life.”

Each year, the Trulaske Student Council holds interviews with graduating seniors who have applied for the chance to speak at the commencement ceremony. Of these applicants, only one is chosen for the special honor. Caroline Lyman, who graduated with a bachelor’s and master’s of accountancy degrees through Trulaske’s 150-hour accountancy program and a bachelor’s degree in economics, was selected to speak at the Dec. 15 ceremony. 

Lyman was a four-year member of the Mizzou women’s soccer team and made the SEC honor roll and dean’s list every semester, maintaining a 4,0 GPA. She was also a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, acted as a spokesperson for the soccer team and collaborated with the athletic director, athletic staff and fellow student athletes. She was a finalist for the Athletic Director Award in 2023.  

"If life is like a ladder, then during our four and a half -- or three and half or five and half or anywhere in between – years at Mizzou, we have already climbed a few of the rungs,” Lyman said during her commencement speech. “While surviving a pandemic full of Zoom lectures and online tests, celebrating as Mizzou basketball made its first NCAA tournament in years, cheering on Mizzou football to a historic 10-2 season and a New Year’s Six bowl game, and watching Marching Mizzou shine in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, we have each individually climbed a few rungs of our own.”

Curator Robin Wenneker, BS BA '91, conferred the degrees for the class, and Dean Balaji Rajagopalan gave the closing remarks.

"At the Trulaske College of Business, we are proud of our students,” said Rajagopalan. “They inspire us with their creativity and passion, work ethic, and can-do attitude. They have spent their time with us learning, leading, preparing and growing – and we know they will continue to do those things as they move to the next rung of the ladder.”

Congratulations to Trulaske’s newest alumni!