Sara Tolner’s memory of her graduation from Gettysburg will be unlike anyone else’s this spring.

Tolner, who will play this weekend for Gettysburg in the Division III Women’s Lacrosse Championship and will miss the college’s 174th graduation exercises, was treated to her very own commencement ceremony this week at the school.

An early graduation ceremony isn’t unprecedented at Gettysburg. Just two years ago, five members of the women’s lacrosse team received degrees before playing in the national semifinals. Tuesday’s event was unique, however, as all eyes and speeches were directed solely at the health sciences major.

The program went in the usual order, with the opening processional and invocation, followed by the greeting by college President Janet Morgan Riggs. Both Riggs and interim Provost James White acknowledged the unique circumstances of the event, as did faculty member Timothy Shannon, whose commencement address cited lessons from “Saturday Night Live” and 20th century French writer Marcel Proust.

Then Tolner received her bachelor of science degree from Riggs, prompting an ovation from those in attendance, including all of Tolner’s lacrosse teammates.

Following the singing of the alma mater and the benediction, the administration, faculty and new graduate filed out of the hall in the recessional, bringing the 25-minute ceremony to a close.

With degree in hand, Tolner will lead the Bullets in the national semifinals Saturday against top-ranked Salisbury. The winner will advance to the championship game Sunday afternoon.

Courtesy of Gettysburg sports information.