William Woods University chooses alumna as commencement speaker

Gina Loudon to give graduates advice, wisdom

William Woods University selected Gina Loudon, class of 1990, to give its commencement address. Loudon is an author, anchor, columnist, talk show host and news commentator.
William Woods University selected Gina Loudon, class of 1990, to give its commencement address. Loudon is an author, anchor, columnist, talk show host and news commentator.

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

William Woods selected Gina Loudon, class of 1990, to give its commencement address. Loudon is an author, anchor, columnist, talk show host and news commentator.

During her commencement address, Loudon said she plans to discuss the concept of freedom and to encourage students to do something that makes them uncomfortable - which she said is important for college graduates.

"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. She was also recording secretary of Alpha Chi Omega.

Later, she earned a master's degree in counseling education from Saint Louis University as well as a master's degree 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."

Loudon said she wants to encourage students to take risks and to be uncomfortable.

"The only way that true success ladders are climbed is by being uncomfortable," Loudon said.

She further said that having freedom is critical to success.

"The concept of freedom, I think, is getting convoluted in our culture," Loudon said.

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, California with her husband, a former Missouri State Senator, and five children, whom she home schools.