WMU News

Commencement ceremonies set for June 28

June 17, 1997

KALAMAZOO -- Western Michigan University will award more than 1,600 degrees in commencement exercises Saturday, June 28, in Miller Auditorium.

There will be two ceremonies: one at 9 a.m. for graduates of the Haworth College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Fine Arts and the Division of Continuing Education's General University Studies Program; and one at 11:30 a.m. for graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the College of Health and Human Services.

A total of 1,013 bachelor's, 569 master's and 27 doctoral degrees will be awarded. Students who are completing their degrees at the end of the spring session in June, as well as those who will finish at the end of the summer session in August, are invited to participate in the ceremonies. WMU has no August commencement.

Music for the ceremonies will be performed by organist Karl Schrock. The national anthem and the alma mater will be sung by WMU's chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia professional music fraternity. The graduates will be welcomed as new alumni of the University by Robert G. Miller, president of the WMU Alumni Association. WMU President Diether H. Haenicke will preside over the ceremonies.

The Rev. Sylvester F. Harris Sr. of the Jude Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit will give the invocation and benediction at the 9 a.m. ceremony. His stepdaughter, Ngina M. Wilson of Detroit, will be receiving a bachelor of business administration degree in management. Dr. Dolly Coad of the Greater Harvest Assembly in South Bend, Ind., will lead those two parts of the ceremony at 11:30 a.m. Coad, who earned her master's degree in educational leadership from WMU in 1985, is the mother of Sharon D. Elder of Niles, who will be receiving a bachelor of science degree in occupational therapy.

Tickets are required for the ceremonies. Each participating graduate is eligible to receive up to six guest tickets. Inquiries regarding additional tickets should be directed to the Office of the Registrar after June 25 at 387-4310.

Guests without tickets may view the exercises on a large-screen television in Room 3512 of Knauss Hall. Each ceremony will air live on Channel 36 of EduCABLE, the University's cable television system, and on Channel 30 of Kalamazoo Community Access Television.

The University's Office of Video Services is providing an opportunity for persons to purchase videotapes of each of the two ceremonies. Orders may be placed by calling 387-5003. The tapes are $20 each.


Office of University Relations
Western Michigan University
1903 W Michigan Ave
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5433 USA
616 387-8400
univ-rel@wmich.edu

http://www.wmich.edu/wmu/news