This May, 467 students received diplomas during the Luther Commencement ceremony. BJ Nichols ’97 gave the address, advising students that life is a constant evolution and that as soon as you have things figured out, they’re bound to change—and that’s okay. “Please know that by making it here today—being surrounded by family, friends, faculty, and alumni who believe in you—you are setting off from a solid foundation,” he said, adding that students should focus on identifying opportunities and taking calculated risks. Making decisions about one’s future isn’t easy, he said, but a Luther education means that “you have the tools to work through them so you can make better, more thoughtful decisions as you navigate your own maze of opportunities.”

Nichols works in the Insurance and Federal Claims Services sector for Ernst and Young, helping companies and governments recover financially following catastrophic loss. Most recently his work has taken him to the Caribbean to assist with recovery efforts following hurricanes Maria and Irma in 2017.

Houda Abadi ’03 received this year’s Young Alumni Award. Abadi serves as the associate director for the Middle East and North Africa Conflict Resolution Program at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The Young Alumni Award recognizes Luther alumni who have graduated in the past 15 years and have rendered notable service to their profession and society in their vocation or avocation. 

The Jenson Medal, established by Elizabeth (Dybal) ’49 and Paul Jenson ’49, went to Harleigh Boldridge ’18 from Cummings, Kansas. During her time at Luther, Boldridge, a social work major, was passionate about social justice. She participated in Just Action and the Black Student Union and worked as a resident assistant and for Luther’s Admissions Office. The Jenson Medal is awarded annually to a senior, elected by the senior class, who best demonstrates the ideals of the college through service to students and the college community.