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This version of NSU News has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of NSU News, visit news.nova.edu.
This version of SharkBytes has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of SharkBytes, visit sharkbytes.nova.edu.
NSU’s First-ever Live Commencement Webcast Yields a Marriage Proposal
James Neilen and Ally Courson On-stage Marriage Proposal at NSU’s Commencement Draws Cheers
During the recent commencement ceremony for the Health Professions Division, degrees were not the only highlights on stage. James Neilen, Pharm.D., who was being hooded at the ceremony by his girlfriend Ally Courson, turned around, got down on one knee and proposed marriage. Courson accepted, and the crowd broke out into thunderous applause and cheers.
You can watch the video – which has been viewed more than 1,000 times in the first day it was live – of the on-stage proposal on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8Qz6qU4gWI&feature=youtu.be
The 2013 commencement season marks the first time in NSU’s nearly 50-year history that the university has webcast all of its six commencement ceremonies live online for friends and family of graduates who were unable to attend in-person to watch the ceremony remotely. It also marks the first time a graduate has proposed on stage during a commencement ceremony.
A total of 388 people watched the May 18 ceremony online and viewers hailed from 20 different countries and territories, and 136 cities globally. Further demonstrating the power of technology, mobile phones accounted for 35% of the web traffic and tablets accounted for 11%, while personal computers and laptops accounted for 54%.
The May 19 commencement ceremony included more than 700 graduates from the Colleges of Health Care Sciences, Dental Medicine, Medical Sciences, Optometry, Osteopathic Medicine, and Pharmacy. Health Professions Division students and faculty conduct cutting-edge research in human stem cells, cancer, heart disease, AIDS/HIV and neuro-immune disorders, including Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Gulf War Syndome.
Ursula Bauer, Ph.D, M.P.H., director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, was the keynote speaker. In her role Dr. Bauer, sets the strategic direction for the center’s “Winnable Battles” of tobacco use prevention, improved nutrition and physical activity and prevention of teen and unintended pregnancy, as well as key priorities related to the leading causes of death.