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Commencement Ceremonies Held Despite Ice Storm
"First, let me explain my attire. The tassel on the left means I am a graduate. The three bars on my sleeves signifies I have a doctorate degree. My hood of blue and white indicates my degree from Drake University. But because my first and best degree is from Western, I'm changing my cap to our school colors."
--Steve Nelson '70, Chair of the WIU Board of Trustees |
Commencement ceremonies held Dec. 19-20 on the Macomb campus marked the hooding of the first nine of 22 candidates in Western's inaugural doctoral program in educational leadership and recognized the academic and personal accomplishments of Western Illinois University students and alumni. Despite severe winter weather causing the University to be closed until 11 a.m. Dec. 19, forcing finals to be held later in the day, and a weather advisory that continued throughout the weekend, Commencement Ceremonies were held as scheduled.
Nearly 1,250 students - including some 900 undergraduate students, more than 90 nontraditional students in the Board of Trustees Bachelor of Arts degree program, more than 230 master's-level graduate students and nine doctoral students who applied for graduation in Fall 2008 - were eligible to participate in Commencement Ceremonies.
The weekend began with the Academic Honors Convocation at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19 in Western Hall; the Saturday 9:30 a.m. ceremony recognized candidates for graduation in the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business and Technology, the Board of Trustees Bachelor of Arts (BOT/BA) degree program and Interdisciplinary Studies; the Saturday 1 p.m. ceremony recognized candidates for graduation in the College of Education and Human Services and the College of Fine Arts and Communication. Alumni Achievement Awards were presented to six individual honorees by Alumni Council President Pam Hoffman '70.
 Western Illinois Provost and Academic Vice President Jack Thomas led each Commencement ceremony, and President Al Goldfarb conferred degrees and made remarks to the graduating classes. Trustee Chair Steven Nelson offered remarks on behalf of the Board of Trustees; and 2008 Distinguished Faculty Lecturer, Michael Romano, biology professor, was recognized at each ceremony. |
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