Congratulations and a tip of the Mad Dog mortarboard to Harrison Walter, who yesterday collected his Associate of General Studies degree from Colorado Mountain College in Leadville.
The big day kicked off with the traditional “Ski Down” of Dutch Henry Hill. Harrison — a letterman named Most Valuable Runner of the 2023-24 CMC Eagles’ men’s team — chose to leg it down on snowshoes.
Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) delivered the commencement address, after which Harrison, his family and friends adjourned to the City on a Hill coffee shop for what his father, Hal, described as “a gala soiree.”
En route to his degree, Harrison also collected certificates of proficiency in basic welding and cutting and welding design and fabrication, and earned yet another certificate from the Eagles for maintaining a 3.0+ GPA as a student athlete. So it was a busy couple of years for the young fella.
Today the freshly minted graduate was reported to be resting comfortably at the family compound outside Weirdcliffe while his father examined the upshot of clearing out his dorm room.
“My truck, which looked like The Beverly Hillbillies’ … has been emptied into the living room,” he confided via Messages. “What a mess.”
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Yea for Harrison and Hal! That’s the kind of news we need more of! What a team those two make.
It really is quite an achievement. And I’m sure Hal will chime in at some point and give a shout out to all the selfless folks who lent a hand when the Walters needed one. To say “it takes a village” is something of a laugh line these days, but that doesn’t make it any less true.
I find the young people, Harrison’s contemporaries, particularly admirable. Here they are, setting out on their own individual journeys, but nevertheless taking time to help a fellow pilgrim along the Way. They deserve all the praise they can bear.
Hat tip and congrats to Harrison and Hal and family. Excellent news!
Yeah, now and then we get some tidings of comfort and joy around the Mad Dog cracker barrel. Ain’t always cussin’ an’ spittin’.
Mega Kudos to Harrison and Hal! So refreshing to hear of a family and youngster with grit, determination, motivation, focus, and useful skillsets. Thumbs up!!
I don’t know about you, JD, but I had none of those qualities when I matriculated at Adams State College in the fall of 1971. And the next two years saw little in the way of improvement, though I did get some experience helping run a small, highly illegal business out of our dorm room.
Happily, Harrison doesn’t seem to have shown any interest in that sort of risk management. The kid is strictly legit.
Awesome Harrison and family! This has been quite the journey!!!