Quincy University’s 159th commencement set for Saturday afternoon

QUINCY – Quincy University’s 159th commencement ceremony is set for 2 p.m. Saturday, May 14 at QU Stadium, 20th and Sycamore. The Class of 2022 is comprised of 156 undergraduates, with an additional 32 graduate degree recipients.

The procession will be led by university marshal, Robert Mejer, distinguished professor of art, and assistant marshals, physics professor David Kirchhofer and chemistry professor Scott Luaders. QU president Brian McGee will confer degrees and provide remarks. Kimberly Hale, assistant vice president for academic affairs, will convene the ceremony.

Jessica Howell, director of campus ministry, will deliver the invocation. Father John Doctor, vice president for mission and ministry, will provide the benediction. Choir members Julia Liesen, Crystal Middendorf, Joseph Niemerg and Colby Schulz will perform the National Anthem and the Quincy University Alma Mater.

The ceremony will be live-streamed on the GLVC network at https://www.glvcsn.com/quincy/.

Graduates elected senior representative Ouekie Wright to deliver the program’s welcome address and reflection. Wright is a business management major and a member of the cross country and track and field teams.

Ralph M. Oakley, Class of 1980, and William E. “Bill” Taylor, Class of 1960, will be awarded donorary degrees of doctor of humane letters during the ceremony. Oakley will deliver this year’s commencement address.

Oakley is the former president and CEO of Quincy Media Inc., a business that operated two daily newspapers, two radio stations and television stations in 16 markets. He is a member of the fifth generation of the Oakley family to work for Quincy Media, Inc., a company owned by the Oakley and Lindsay families.

Oakley joined the company in the mid ’70s and served as president and CEO beginning in 2009 after holding various operation and management positions at WGEM in Quincy, WSJV in South Bend, Ind., and WVVA in Bluefield, W.Va. Oakley became vice president and general manager of WGEM in 1988, then moved to the Quincy corporate staff and joined the company’s board of directors in 1993. He retired when the company sold its stations to Gray Media Group and its newspapers to Phillips Media in 2021.

He is a past member of the National Association of Broadcasters Board of Directors and previously served on its executive committee. He also served on the Television Bureau of Advertising Board of Directors and the ABC Affiliate Board of Governors. He is a former chairperson of the NBC Affiliates Association and the Illinois Broadcasters Association. Oakley has received many prestigious awards in recognition of his career contributions to the broadcast industry and the community at large. Oakley was the founding chairperson of the Community Foundation serving West Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri. He is a current member and former chairperson of the board of trustees of Quincy University.

Taylor spent 26 years as a tax attorney for Ralston Purina Company, ending as tax counsel and director of domestic taxes and audits. He worked on acquisition teams for many companies purchased by Ralston, including Continental Baking House (Hostess and Wonder Bread), Energizer Batteries and Keystone Ski Resorts. Taylor accepted in 1994 the position of vice president for tax and employee benefits administration for Ralcorp Holdings Inc., a spinoff of the human food products from Ralston, including Chex Cereals, numerous private label bakery and other food products, and Keystone Ski Resorts. He retired from Ralcorp in 2004.

He was a member of the Quincy University Board of Trustees from 1990-99 and from 2000-03. He also served on QU’s national alumni board, was the QU Fund chair and sponsored the St. Louis call-a-thon for three years. A resident of St. Louis, Taylor volunteers with the IRS-AARP Tax Counseling for Elderly, preparing free tax returns for low income individuals and seniors. He also served as the president for the Friendship Village Sunset Hills Residents Council for two years and currently serves as the finance committee chair.