More than 1,800 degrees to be awarded Dec. 8
Dec. 1, 2001
KALAMAZOO -- More than 1,800 degrees will be awarded to new graduates by Western Michigan University in commencement ceremonies Saturday, Dec. 8.
President Elson S. Floyd will preside over three ceremonies in Miller Auditorium.
The day's first ceremony, at 9 a.m., is for graduates of the Haworth College of Business and the colleges of Fine Arts and Health and Human Services. The Reverend Penny Hackett-Evans of the Community Based Unitarian Ministry in Rochester, Mich., will give the invocation and benediction. Hackett-Evans' daughter, Alison, is graduating with a bachelor's degree in nursing.
The second ceremony, at 11:30 a.m., is for graduates of the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Aviation, and Engineering and Applied Sciences. Pastor Marvin Savola of the North Athens Baptist Church in Athens, Mich., will give the invocation and benediction. Savola's daughter, Melody Schneider, is receiving a master's degree in English.
The third ceremony, at 2 p.m., is for graduates of the College of Education and the General University Studies Program. The Reverend J. Louis Felton of Galilee Missionary Baptist Church in Kalamazoo will give the invocation and benediction.
A total of 1,856 graduates will receive degrees, including 1,426 who will earn bachelor's degrees, 414 who will receive master's degrees, 15 who will be awarded doctoral degrees, and one who will receive a specialist degree. Graduates who earmed degrees at the conclusion of the summer session in August also will participate in the ceremonies. WMU also holds commencement exercises in April and June.
The Western Brass Ensemble, conducted by Steve Wolfinberger, will perform music for the ceremonies. The national anthem and the alma mater will be sung by WMU's chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia professional music fraternity, conducted by Anthony Funaro. Graduates will be welcomed as new alumni of the University by Kenneth Miller, treasurer of the WMU Alumni Association, at the 9 and 11:30 a.m. ceremonies and by Jennifer Miller, a member of the Alumni Association's executive committee, at the 2 p.m. ceremony.
Tickets are not required to attend the ceremonies. If the auditorium fills to capacity, guests may view the commencement exercises on a large-screen television in Room 3512 of Knauss Hall. Each ceremony will also be carried live on Channel 7 of EduCABLE, the University's cable television system, and on Channel 19 of the Charter Communication cable system. In addition, video of the commencement may also be viewed online at the time of the ceremonies and for 30 days afterward. The Web address for online viewing is <www.wmich.edu/commencement>.
University Video Services provides an opportunity for persons to purchase videotapes of any of the three ceremonies. Orders may be placed by calling (269) 387-5003. The tapes are $20 each.
Media contact: Marie Lee, 269 387-8400, marie.lee@wmich.edu