WMU to confer more than 2,400 degrees during spring commencement

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University will grant more than 2,400 degrees during four commencement ceremonies Saturday, April 27, in Miller Auditorium.

WMU President Edward Montgomery will officiate during the ceremonies. Montgomery will distribute 2,470 diplomas on behalf of the University: 1,867 at the bachelor's level, 571 at the master's level and 32 at the doctoral level.

Among the students who are graduating will be 68 military veterans as well as international students from more than 30 countries.

Schedule

All four commencement ceremonies will last about two hours and be geared toward students who are graduating from a particular set of degree-granting academic units.

• The 9 a.m. ceremony is for graduates of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and College of Health and Human Services.
• The noon ceremony is for graduates of the Haworth College of Business and Extended University Programs.
• The 3 p.m. ceremony is for graduates of the College of Education and Human Development and College of Fine Arts.
• The 6 p.m. ceremony is for graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences and College of Aviation.

April's graduation exercises will feature music by the Western Brass Ensemble, conducted by Dr. Mary Land. The national anthem and alma mater will be sung by the University's chapter of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia professional music fraternity, conducted by Jonathan Holder.

Tickets, viewing

Tickets are required for guests to attend commencement. Students participating in graduation exercises may reserve a set number of guest tickets. All seats are general admission. Miller Auditorium prohibits noisemakers as well as backpacks of any kind and has other bag and purse restrictions.

Guests without tickets may view the commencement ceremonies on a large screen in 2028 Brown Hall, which is located next to Miller. Those who need accessible seating or other accessibility services should call (269) 387-2320 to make arrangements.

All of the spring ceremonies will be broadcast live on Channel 5.1 of EduCABLE, the University's cable television system, and throughout the Kalamazoo area on Public Media Network Channel 191, a local public access channel on the Charter Communications commercial cable television system.

A live webcast of the ceremonies also will be available online the day of graduation. A maximum of 1,000 connections will be accepted. Not all browsers are compatible with the commencement stream.

Parking, other details

Free parking will be available in all parking areas adjacent to Miller Auditorium. Commencement guests should plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before each ceremony. The address to use if locating Miller by GPS or online driving directions is 2200 Auditorium Drive, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49008.

WMU only conducts formal graduation exercises after the fall and spring semesters and the summer I session, although students also may graduate after the summer II session.

For complete graduation information, including directions to WMU, professional photography and requirements for viewing the live webcast, visit the commencement website. Direct questions to the Registrar's Office at (269) 387-4300.

For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.