Parkersburg mayor to deliver WVU Parkersburg’s Commencement address.
Contact Cecelia Malhotra, college registrar, 304-424-8222.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A graduate of Parkersburg Community College whose name is synonymous with local Italian cuisine will give the main address at West Virginia University at Parkersburg’s May 18^th Commencement exercises.

Jimmy Colombo, mayor of Parkersburg, will deliver the Commencement address during the college’s 31^st annual spring graduation ceremonies being held at 2 p.m. in the College Activities Center.

Colombo has been an independent businessman for 30 years as the owner of Colombo’s Restaurant. He is currently serving his second four-year term as Parkersburg’s mayor. A 1969 graduate of the Parkersburg Center of West Virginia University with an associate of arts degree, he received a bachelor of arts degree from Marietta College.

More than 180 certificates, associate in arts, associate in science, associate in applied science, and baccalaureate degrees will be conferred upon members of the WVU Parkersburg Class of 2002 during Commencement.  Serving as faculty marshals for the exercises will be Cheryl Robinson, instructor of nursing, and David Sindledecker, associate professor of theatre.

Also, the college will award its first two honorary doctor of humane letters degrees. Recipients are artist and philanthropist Madame Shao Fang Sheng of Williamstown and Parkersburg native David J. Moses, founder and chief operating officer of Gaussian Inc., a computational chemistry software company.

Several alumni awards will be presented by the WVU Parkersburg Alumni Association. In addition, Susan St. Jean, nursing professor, will be recognized upon her retirement after 27 years of service to the institution.

A reception for the graduates, their families and college faculty will be held following Commencement in the cafeteria.