Missouri Military Academy awarded diplomas to the Class of 2010 and recognized many achievements on behalf of the 121
st Corps of Cadets during annual Graduation activities May 27, 28 and 29, 2010.
Attorney General Chris Koster was the guest speaker at the 121
st commencement exercises Saturday morning in Centennial Gymtorium.
“In this brave, new global business world, it is essential that you be informed, and there is no better way I’ve found than to sit down for half an hour every morning with The New York Times or Washington Post,” he told more than 600 people in attendance from around the nation and world. “Knowing what is happening enables you to make informed decisions and focuses your mind. Set a routine and stick with it.”
The attorney general was introduced by his cousin, MMA Chairman of the Board of Trustees R. Strib Koster of Chicago, Ill.
Forty-six seniors received their diplomas from Dean of Academics Lt. Col. Frank Giuseffi and Academy President Maj. Gen. Robert M. Flanagan, and many of MMA’s primary awards were presented.
Co-valedictorians Shannon (Ty) Armer of Austin, Texas, and Si Chan Law of Seoul, South Korea, each made remarks. Maj. Gen. Flanagan told the cadets their education has given them the tools to succeed in the world, but they must now make the right decisions themselves, without the Academy rules and faculty to assist them.
The Commencement was followed by the traditional Final Formation and Au Revoir on front campus, where Battalion Commander Sung Chan (Daniel) Lee of Seoul, S. Korea announced the command of “dismissed.” A cannon restored by the MMA Railsplitters World War II re-enactment chapter as a gift from the Class of 2010 was fired by junior cadets Kyle Perkinson and Kyle Hughes. Perkinson is the battalion commander-designee for 2010-11.
The Commencement ceremony was the culminating event during a weekend of competitions, award ceremonies and the annual Senior Baccalaureate and Senior Banquet.
The weekend kicked off on Thursday evening with the annual Wallace Fry Speech Contest and continued Friday morning with Company Drill and Competition and the middle and high school final assemblies. On Friday evening seniors and their families attended the Baccalaureate ceremony and Senior Banquet.
