Despite being greeted by rain showers, which forced Wittenberg's 159th Commencement exercises indoors for the second year in a row, the Class of 2004 had many reasons to smile May 15.

Family and friends filled the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Center to celebrate with 500, 102 of whom were from Clark County and the contiguous counties.

Senior Class President Colin Castle shared memories of the class'four years, recalling first roommates, fun times and the tour the class has taken together.

Famed puppeteer Carrol Spinney, the man behind Big Bird and the Oscar the Grouch of Sesame Street , also addressed the graduates.

Named a Livong Legend by the Library of Congress, Spinney shared selections from his book The Wisdom of Big Bird(And the Dark Genius of Oscar the Grouch): Lessons from a life in Feathers as he encouraged the graduates to pursue their dreams.

Spinney recieved an honorary doctorate of humane letters, along with judge Damon Keith, whose 37-year career on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has been punctuated by numerous awards, 38 honorary degrees and a 1990 appointment by President George Bush to the Commission on the Bicentennial of the Constitution. Keith has also mentored more than 70 law clerks, including current Governor of Michigan Jennifer Granholm.

As the ceremony concluded, Mary Ann Lyders Felker '55, president of the Alumni Board, welcomed the Class of 2004 into the Alumni Association.