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Two thousand students will graduate SaturdayDec. 13, 2007 KALAMAZOO--Western Michigan University will grant degrees to more than 2,000 students during three commencement ceremonies Saturday, Dec. 15, in Miller Auditorium. President John M. Dunn will be presiding over the ceremonies, participating in his first commencement at the University since being named WMU's eight president this past July. Leading off the day's graduation exercises will be a ceremony at 9 a.m. for graduates of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, College of Fine Arts, and Haworth College of Business. The second ceremony, set for noon, will be for graduates of the College of Aviation, College of Education and Extended University Programs. The final ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. for graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences and College of Health and Human Services. During the three ceremonies, WMU will confer an estimated 2,001 degrees: 1,529 at the bachelor's level, 431 at the master's level and 41 at the doctoral level. The December 2007 graduation exercises will feature music by the Western Brass Ensemble, conducted by Steve Wolfinbarger. The national anthem and the alma mater will be sung by WMU's chapter of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia professional music fraternity, conducted by Nicholas Michiels. Graduates will be welcomed as new alumni of the University by Kirk Hoffman, president of the WMU Alumni Association. Tickets are required for guests to attend the commencement ceremonies, and each participating student is eligible to receive up to four guest tickets. Should there be extra tickets, students participating in graduation exercises may request up to two more on a first-come, first-serve basis from the Miller Auditorium box office beginning 8 a.m. Friday, Dec. 14. After all ticketed guests have been seated for each commencement ceremony, any remaining open seats will be offered to those without tickets. Guests without tickets may view the exercises live on a television in Room 3512 Knauss Hall, which is near Miller. All three December ceremonies will be broadcast live on EduCABLE Channel 28, the University's cable television system, and throughout the Kalamazoo area on one of the Community Access Cable channels (channels 19-22) of the Charter Communication cable system. There also will be a live webcast of the ceremonies. Those needing help setting up their computers for online video streaming may contact WMU's Office of Information Technology weekdays at helpdesk@wmich.edu or (269) 387-4357. The University will be providing professional recordings of the December ceremonies on DVD and VHS videotape. The recordings will cost $25 each, plus shipping and formatting fees if any, and may be ordered online or by calling (269) 387-0459. In addition, a professional photographer will be taking pictures of each graduating student. Color proofs will be sent to the students, but purchase of prints is optional. WMU conducts formal graduation exercises in June, December and April, although WMU students also may graduate in August. Students scheduled to graduate in August are given the option of participating in the June commencement ceremonies. The names of August graduates who choose to participate in those ceremonies are published in the June commencement program. More information about the upcoming exercises and how to view the proceedings online as well obtain tickets, recordings or student photos is available at www.wmich.edu/commencement. A final list of December 2007 graduates will be posted when the final list becomes available. Media contact: Jeanne Baron, (269) 387-8400, jeanne.baron@wmich.edu WMU News |
