Lisa O’Connell has been part of the planning and execution of commencement and convocation ceremonies and other events at since she joined in July 2012 as a coordinator in the Office of University Ceremonies (now University Events and Protocol). She currently serves as the director of University Events and Protocol, a position she has held since 2017.
O’Connell was “invited to her own party” on Aug. 11 with a student’s-eye view of the university’s commencement ceremonies as she walked across the stage to receive her Master of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management.
O’Connell’s career focus has been on hospitality. She earned a Certificate in hospitality and tourism management from Florida Atlantic University, a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toledo. And now, she has earned a Master of Science degree in hospitality and tourism management as part of ’s Class of 2025.
Inspired to Create a Memorable Student Experience
O’Connell was the last graduate to cross the stage on Saturday, just before the confetti drop. When she spoke with Today two days before the ceremony, she shared that she was first to cross the stage at her high school graduation event and didn’t participate in her undergraduate commencement ceremony. “ a year before my commencement, I attended the undergrad ceremony of a good friend and it was not an enjoyable experience,” O’Connell said. “It was very long. There were a lot of speeches, and the graduates weren’t really the focus. I just didn’t feel like that’s how I wanted to celebrate.”
This lackluster commencement inspired her to make the ceremonies at better. “It absolutely plays a role in how I view the ceremony; how I look at things,” O’Connell said. “We’re always tweaking, always changing. I love feedback. Everybody’s got a different viewpoint when they come to the table, how they approach it, and how they enjoyed, or unfortunately, did not enjoy things. So, feedback makes us better and makes us stronger.”
I think if we can make this about the students and, hopefully, they really enjoy their moment crossing the stage – that’s a connection, right?” she said. “That’s a student who feels like recommending , like donating their time to as alumni, or maybe even giving back, financially, to the university at some point.”
How Many Commencements, Including This One?
O’Connell said that since she started at , she has supported 119 commencement ceremonies including her own commencement this summer. While most commencement ceremonies have taken place in the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center, there are multiple ceremonies in spring, summer, fall. Some, like the commencement ceremonies for the College of Podiatric Medicine are held in Cartwright Hall. In 2017, President Beverly Warren held the first of three years of “All University Commencement” ceremonies at Dix Stadium. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, ’s commencement ceremonies were virtual. From 2021-2023, commencement was outdoors, under a tent. First on Centennial Green and then twice on Manchester Field.
In her role as director, she also supports Convocation for incoming students, faculty and staff recognition events, student and faculty club get-togethers, the white coat ceremony at the College of Podiatric Medicine, university holiday observances like Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Veterans, Day, and Juneteenth, special events like the Presidential Speaker Series and all the planning and execution of activities in the university’s annual May 4 Commemorations.
Planning commencement, O’Connell said, begins 10-14 weeks before the event and involves working with people and departments across campus. She views it less as project management, and more like “people management.” “The biggest part of my job is people,” O’Connell said. “It feels like the project management comes secondary, because it’s really building relationships with people to gain and gather information, working across campus. Just bringing everyone together at the table to help, whether it’s our involvement with homecoming or commencement.”
People, she said, are her favorite part of the job. She noted that she is very grateful to have the same great supervisor since she began at : Lashonda Taylor, Ed.D. Taylor was director of the Office of University Ceremonies and now serves as associate chief of staff in the Office of the University President.
“We have such a wonderful group of people that I work with at the university that really care about and really put the students first,” said O’Connell. “That not only makes the job more enjoyable but makes it easier when you’re trying to highlight events and show those wins for the university.”
“Some of what I do is hard,” she said. “The May 4 commemoration is emotionally tough every year, but it’s so important as a piece of our history and our legacy. But, as with all the events, students, faculty, staff recognitions and, of course, commencement – that’s why we’re all here.”
“Nothing beats being in the room when students are turning tassels or when they’re waving those rally towels at convocation and they’re really connecting to ,” O’Connell said.
And Now, It’s Her Turn to Walk the Stage
The long road to her graduate degree began in 2017. She typically only took one class per semester to balance her studies with her work and family responsibilities. She had to take a break because of a family illness and when she returned, she was met with the challenges of event planning in the face of a pandemic. But she got back on track and finished her degree.
Seeing commencement as a graduate, O’Connell said “Honestly, it feels odd. Right now, I feel very focused on making sure that our students and our guests and our faculty and staff have a great experience.”
“I don’t know if it has totally kicked in that I’m a part of that yet, and that I get to enjoy it from the other side,” she said. “But I am looking forward to it and crossing the stage as a graduate instead of as a planner.”
