WVU Parkersburg's Spring Commencement to be held May 12, 2007.

CONTACT:  Cecelia Malhotra, college registrar, 304-424-8220.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

West Virginia University at Parkersburg's 36th annual Commencement exercises will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday (May 12) in the College Activities Center.

The Class of 2007 includes more than 260 area residents who will receive approximately 330 degrees and certificates. 

Commencement speaker will be Joseph L. Badgley, executive dean of academic affairs.  Badgley is retiring this summer as dean after eight years and will return to the classroom in the fall as a faculty member in the college's Education Division.

WVU Parkersburg President Marie Foster Gnage will preside over the ceremony.  Faculty marshals will be Linda Meyers and Matt Santer. 

Serving as grand marshal will be Ron Atkinson, professor of social sciences.  Atkinson is retiring as chair and faculty member of the Social Sciences Division after 42 years of service. 

For the first time in WVU Parkersburg's history, Atkinson will lead the academic procession at Commencement with the college's first ever ceremonial mace.  Created in conjunction with the college's 45th anniversary, the mace will be used at official institutional ceremonies and celebrations such as Commencement.  WVU Parkersburg's mace is made of walnut and features the college's seal and bell.  Since the middle ages, ceremonial maces have symbolized authority.  Today, the use of a mace represents authority for royalty, legislatures, and universities around the world.  

This will also mark the first Commencement that students in the college's Honors College graduate.   Three students will be recognized as Honors College graduates.  The program provides enhanced learning opportunities for talented students in academic and career programs.

A reception for all of the graduates and their families will follow the Commencement exercises in the cafeteria concourse.

On Friday (May 11), Nursing candidates for graduation will participate in the college's annual Pinning ceremonies at 7 p.m. in the College Activities Center.  Featured speaker will be Kathryn Decker, vice president of patient care services, Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital.  A reception will follow the ceremony.

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For additional information, contact:
Connie Dziagwa
WVU Parkersburg
Executive Director
Institutional Advancement
(304-424-8203)

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