INDIANAPOLIS — A special early graduation ceremony was held Wednesday at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis to honor the final wish of Mark Rogers, a veteran in palliative care who hoped to see his son graduate high school.
High school senior Marcus Rogers received his diploma during the ceremony, surrounded by his family, including his father, Mark Rogers, and mother, Susie Rogers. The diploma was presented by Crawfordsville High School assistant principal Kris Sims, with school counselor Mary Scheidler also in attendance, as part of a coordinated effort between VA staff and the Crawfordsville Community School Corporation.
Sims said school and corporation staff “jumped into action” to organize the ceremony on short notice, gathering remarks from staff and assembling a team that included Scheidler, school resource officer Alfredo Villalpando, band director John Tebbe, math teacher Craig Carrell and Sims, all of whom attended and participated in presenting the diploma.
“It was an honor and a privilege to represent Crawfordsville Community School Corporation in presenting Marcus with his diploma at Mr. Rogers’ military pinning ceremony,” Sims said, adding that fulfilling the family’s wish “would not have been possible without the staff at Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center and our amazing team.”
The ceremony allowed Mark Rogers to witness the milestone alongside his wife, Susie, despite significant health challenges, and included a veteran pinning in recognition of his service. Marcus Rogers will graduate with an honors diploma this spring and plans to attend Indiana University in the fall.
