Commentator-host returns to William Woods as commencement speaker

FULTON, Mo. -- William Woods University's graduation ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday in Cutlip Auditorium - inside McNutt Campus Center on campus. The traditional Ivy Ceremony will take place at 9:15 a.m. at Senior Lake.

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Jon Watson, who has coached the Bauxite Miners high school football team for 20 years, is taking on a new challenge as the dean of students at the new Bauxite Middle School.

Gina Loudon, class of 1990, will give the commencement address. She is an author, anchor, columnist, talk show host and news commentator.

During her address, Loudon plans to discuss the concept of freedom and to encourage students to do something that makes them uncomfortable.

"We tend to gravitate to places where we're comfortable. We tend to pick schools for reasons that are comfortable to us, things that we are familiar with, things that we know well," Loudon said. "Everything after college becomes a situation which you might not be comfortable with. Students getting their minds ready to be uncomfortable is one of the most important things they can do."

Loudon graduated from William Woods in 1990 with a degree in psychology and a minor in education. She was president of Psi Chi National Psychology Honor Society and recording secretary of Alpha Chi Omega.

Later, she earned a master's degree in counseling education from St. Louis University as well as a master's in human and organizational systems. Later, she pursued her Ph.D. in human development from Fielding Graduate University.

Loudon frequently serves as a psychological and business commentator. According to her online resume, she has appeared on the Jon Stewart Show, Al Jazeera and FOX News to name a few. Currently, she hosts America Trends with Dr. Gina, a show on Time Warner cable networks which utilizes radio, TV and Internet. She is also an author and most recently published a book titled, "What Women Really Want."

On Saturday, Loudon said she wants to discuss how students can affect their own freedom throughout their lives as well as what real freedom is.

Loudon said she was "ecstatic" and honored to be asked to speak at graduation Saturday.

"It's such a fantastic opportunity to touch not just the lives of young people, but young people that at least at this point in their lives are choosing a similar path to what I chose," Loudon said.

Loudon lives in San Diego with her husband and five children.