CWU commencement speakers prepare to send Class of 2025 out into the world

Each year, Central Washington University selects two graduating students to address their classmates at each of the commencement ceremonies after a committee reviews a slate of submitted speeches.

On Saturday, June 14, attendees for the A.M. ceremony will get to hear from history major Camree Nilsen, while the P.M. ceremony will feature elementary education major Amy Leers. Both speakers will reflect on their time at CWU and pass on advice and inspiration for the future to their peers.

Camree Nilsen, A.M. commencement speaker

Nilsen’s decision to attend CWU came after several years in the workforce, capped by a stint at a hospital. When she realized she wanted to go back to school, one university stood out to her as the best fit.

“Central was the only school I applied for, and I’ve enjoyed the two years I’ve spent here very much,” Nilsen said. “The faculty have been an incredible support system for me, and they’ve given me so many opportunities that I’ll be forever grateful for.”

Initially a double major in biology and history, a class with Dr. Melissa Jordine convinced Nilsen that she was meant to pursue a graduate degree in history.

“That was the moment, in spring quarter of last year, that I knew what I wanted to do,” she said. “Dr. Jordine is currently my mentor, and she will be my advisor during my master’s program.”

Nilsen will return to CWU in the fall as a master’s student in history, and she has already had the opportunity to familiarize herself with the work ahead of her, thanks to the close-knit, welcoming nature of the program.

“Just speaking with all the faculty members in the history department about pursuing my master’s degree was a really great experience,” she said. “The current graduate students have continually supported me, and it has been incredible getting to know them.”

In reflecting on her time at CWU while writing her speech, Nilsen came to realize that what she appreciated most of all about her experience in Ellensburg was being able to wake up every day and do the work she loves.

“I’ve been so grateful for the mundane days, the ones where you just wake up, go to class, have lunch with your friends, maybe spend some time in the library,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed, from the bottom of my heart, every single day that I’ve been here.”

She hopes her classmates take away a similar appreciation for the everyday joys of being a Wildcat from her speech as they prepare to take the world by storm.

“My story isn’t unique,” she said. “The experiences I’ve had with faculty, the events, the friendships I’ve made — those are themes you’ll hear over and over from so many students here. That’s the magic of CWU.”

Amy Leers, P.M. commencement speaker

When Leers abruptly transferred to CWU in Fall 2023, she didn’t know what to expect coming in. That uneasiness didn’t last long.

“I transferred here right in the middle of junior year, and I just remember immediately feeling at home,” she said. “I had professors who cared about me, and I wanted to show up for them.”

Leers immediately fell in love with CWU’s renowned School of Education and the faculty who make it one of the best teacher training grounds in the Northwest.

“I’ve never met a professor here that I didn’t like, which is something very special,” she said. “It’s really cool to be surrounded by mentors who are experts in their field, especially within the education program.”

Likewise, the culture of mutual respect and collaboration among the students in the program has served to both ground and empower Leers as she looks toward a future of being an educator.

“I always say that you’re the average of everyone you surround yourself with, and I’ve been surrounded by really inspirational people since I transferred in,” she said. “We’ve been collaborating across different areas and sharing ideas, and I’ve felt like they were lifting me up the whole time.”

In settling into Ellensburg, Leers found inspiration in the small things that make the community so special. Her speech on Saturday will center on this feeling of home, as well as having the supportive bedrock to return to while taking on the world after graduation.

“You have to leave home to find it,” she said. “Ellensburg will become your home, in so many different ways. It’s the people, it’s the food, it’s the mountains on the horizon and the wind in your hair. At the end of college, you’ve been to so many places, both physically and mentally, but from here on in, you’ll know that you have a home in Ellensburg. There are people here who care about you, no matter where life takes you next.”

While she has loved every second of her time at CWU, the skills and connections she has forged along the way reassure Leers that her future will be bright.