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Mostly, it was about the tassel. And her parents seeing her there on the field with the rest of her class on commencement day, celebrating the last four years and all the hard work that went into making it through them. And sharing the experience with her twin sister, Arianna, who had graduated from UNH Manchester two days earlier.

Jessica Nadeau 鈥�18 missed it all. Just days before UNH鈥檚 May 19 commencement she was sidelined by a medical event. For the and dual major, there was no throwing her cap in the air, no singing along to 鈥淗appy Trails,鈥� no standing on her seat to search the crowd for her family.

And she was crushed.听

But then, Joan Glutting, clinical associate professor of psychology, came up with an idea. She would hold a 鈥渞ecommencement鈥� and invite听Nadeau鈥檚 parents and sister to attend. She听asked a couple of faculty members to听join in. The response, she said, was incredible.

鈥淚 thought I鈥檇 get maybe three people. I got 15,鈥� Glutting said.

So, she emailed Nadeau鈥檚 mother, Heidi Nadeau, and cemented the plan. Shortly before 3 p.m. on Monday, June 11, the family gathered under the arch at Thompson Hall where Styliani Munroe 鈥�17 was waiting. Jessica Nadeau laughed as she hugged her friend and former classmate.

鈥淚t was hard to keep it a secret 鈥� we talk every day,鈥� Munroe said. 鈥淚 felt very sad for her when she couldn鈥檛 go to commencement. I鈥檓 so happy they could do this for her.鈥�

As they stood there, one faculty member after another walked up until all 15 were assembled. Nadeau just kept grinning while her family looked on in awe. Her father, Serge Nadeau, took a minute to collect himself and then said, 鈥淭he fact that UNH did this speaks volumes.鈥�

鈥淭hat they put this together for one student is so incredible,鈥� Heidi Nadeau said. 鈥淪he was devastated to miss graduation. Something as simple as being able to move your tassel over 鈥� you don鈥檛 realize how much these things mean.鈥�

It seems Glutting did. She printed a program. There was a processional; Nadeau鈥檚 boyfriend and sister walked with her behind Barbara White, associate professor of , and Charles Putnam, co-director of . The other faculty members stood near the flagpole. Nadeau, her boyfriend and her sister stood shoulder to shoulder, facing the group.

鈥淚 am truly grateful and appreciative to all of the people that helped to create that moment for me,鈥� the Auburn, New Hampshire, resident said after the ceremony. 鈥淭here are not enough words to describe the happiness and joy that I felt. Having all of the faculty take time out of their busy days just to come to a 鈥榬ecommencement鈥� ceremony was incredibly humbling.鈥�

During the ceremony, Glutting commended Nadeau for all her hard work. 鈥淵ou completed three internships while you were here. You got multiple job offers; you could have chosen a job that was a little safer, but you didn鈥檛,鈥� she said. (Nadeau starts work in July at , a psychiatric hospital in Hampstead, New Hampshire.) 鈥淵ou embody all that a UNH student can be.鈥�

She offered what she called a five-minute recap of commencement, citing remarks made by L.L. Bean Chairman Shawn Gorman 鈥�89, this year鈥檚 speaker. A faculty member started the call-response 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great day to be a Wildcat.鈥� Senior vice provost of student life and dean of students Ted Kirkpatrick presented Nadeau with her diploma. Cristy Beemer, associate professor of English, led the group in singing the UNH alma mater.

And then, Nadeau turned her tassel.

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