Regina Olono Vidales ’22 has been selected as the speaker for the Gustavus Adolphus College Class of 2022 Commencement ceremony, which will take place on Saturday, May 21 beginning at 1:45 p.m.
A political science major with minors in public health and peace, justice, and conflict studies from Eden Prairie, Minn., Olono Vidales is currently serving as the Student Senate co-president along with classmate Ben Menke ’22.
“As the Class of 2022 representative for two and a half years, I worked on gaining input from our class about the issues we care about and what I need to advocate for,” Olono Vidales said. “It’s an honor to speak on behalf of all of us for one last time.”
In addition to her classroom work and leadership role on Student Senate, Olono Vidales has been involved in the Diversity Leadership Council, the Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS), Students for Reproductive Freedom, A Moment of Magic, Model UN, and IGNITE.
“I met so many amazing people throughout my involvements and classes,” Olono Vidales said. “The community was so accepting and tight knit in the different areas of campus that I found myself in.”
Olono Vidales plans to speak about the resilience of the Gustavus community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of community-building, and what it means to advocate for yourself and others.
“The pandemic taught me that community is everything, and that Gustavus is one of the best places to find some very good and close friends,” she said. “I really want to focus on what we learned, why our community is important, and what we can do to rebuild it moving forward as things continue change in the world.”
The 2022 Commencement ceremony takes place on Saturday, May 21 at Hollingsworth Field. More information is available at the Gustavus Commencement website.