University News
WIU Fall 2006 Commencement Weekend Dec. 15-16
December 1, 2006
College/Departmental Scholars &
Commencement Speaker
Alumni Achievement Award Winners
MACOMB, IL - - Ceremonies recognizing the academic and personal accomplishments of Western Illinois University students and alumni will be held Friday and Saturday, Dec. 15-16 in Macomb during WesternÂ’s Fall 2006 Commencement weekend.
Events scheduled for Friday, Dec. 15 include the 3 p.m. Academic Honors Convocation in Western Hall and the 5 p.m. military science department U.S. Army Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Commissioning in the University Union Heritage Room.
More than 900 undergraduate students and more than 200 graduate students who have applied for graduation in Fall 2006 are eligible to participate in Commencement Ceremonies scheduled for 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16 in Western Hall.
Alumni Achievement Awards will be presented to three individual honorees during each ceremony. The top eight graduating students in their respective colleges, 16 students in all, will serve as marshals at the ceremonies.
The 9:30 a.m. ceremony will recognize 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 the Interdisciplinary Studies program. Alumni Achievement Awards will be presented to Patrick M. Magoon, a 1976 sociology graduate who has served as president and CEO of ChildrenÂ’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago since 1997; Richard R. Weart, a 1970 English graduate who was a U.S. Treasury Department investigator, operations analyst and officer, as well as a U.S. Customs Service director of national public affairs; and Col. Marinda Coultas Wood, a 1958 business education graduate who retired in 1984 after a distinguished 26-year career with the U.S. Air Force that included director of budget and deputy chief of staff/comptroller for the Military Airlift Command and for headquarters Air Force Communications Command at Scott Air Force Base.
Marshals for the 9:30 a.m. ceremony include the following: Sandra Derry (Macomb, IL), BOT-BA; Nicholas Handell (Aurora, IL), philosophy; Maggie Hoenig (Donnellson, IA), agriculture; Kara Macz (Watseka, IL), economics; Madeline Mercado (Waukegan, IL), management; Elizabeth Savage (Ingleside, IL), history; Kevin Scobey (Geneva, IL), political science; and Carolyn Shimkus (Bolingbrook, IL), biological sciences.
The 1 p.m. ceremony will recognize candidates for graduation in the College of Education and Human Services and the College of Fine Arts and Communication. Alumni Achievement Awards will be presented to Lizbeth J. Bishoff, a 1971 history graduate and former vice president of digital collection and metadata services at OCLC, Inc. (Dublin, OH) who is currently special assistant to the dean and head of sponsored programs at the University of Colorado at Boulder Libraries; Derrick A. Golden, a 1988 law enforcement and justice administration graduate who, as a member of the United States Secret Service, has protected presidents and vice presidents and is currently an assistant to the special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office; and John W. Jury, a 1970 physical education graduate and 1972 college student personnel graduate whose 32-year career at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point began as a residence hall director and concluded with a 10-year run as executive director of student development.
Marshals for the 1 p.m. ceremony include the following: Brian Barnickel (Mendota, IL), law enforcement and justice administration; Christopher Case (Crystal Lake, IL), family and consumer science; Rachael Dusenberry (Illinois City, IL), special education; Annie Henthorn (Prophetstown, IL), elementary education; Amanda Hinthorn (Freedom, IN), broadcasting; Nicole Shafer (Astoria, IL), kinesiology; Jennifer Spiegel (Kewanee, IL), elementary education; and Nicole Wiseman (Athens, IL), broadcasting.
Western Illinois Provost and Academic Vice President Joseph Rallo, who is serving as interim president during President Al GoldfarbÂ’s absence in November-December due to surgery, will lead each Commencement ceremony and will confer degrees.
Daniel Douglas (Indian Head Park, IL), a graduating Illinois Centennial Honors College Honors Scholar, will address the graduating classes as the Commencement Student Speaker. William Epperly, chair of WesternÂ’s Board of Trustees, will give greetings on behalf of the board; and Alumni Council President Martin Green will present the Alumni Achievement Awards. The 2006 Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Christopher Merrett of WesternÂ’s Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs will be recognized at each Commencement ceremony.
WesternÂ’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble, under the director of Mike Fansler, will provide the musical prelude, processional and recessional; and College of Fine Arts and Communication Dean Paul Kreider, an operatic baritone, will sing the National Anthem at each ceremony.
WesternÂ’s University Television (UTV) will broadcast the Academic Honors Convocation and both Commencement ceremonies live on MacombÂ’s Cable Channel 3. The ceremonies will also be streamed live on the web. A link to the web broadcast will be available from WesternÂ’s homepage at www.wiu.edu during the time of the ceremonies.
DVDs and tapes of the ceremonies may be purchased through UTV, telephone 309/298-1880. Also, photographs of graduates will be taken by Visual Productions Center (VPC) photographers and may be purchased through VPC, 309/298-1358.
Ceremonies are open to family and friends of the graduates. Tickets are not required; seating is on a first-come basis. A sign interpreter will sign each ceremony. Individuals needing special accommodations should contact WesternÂ’s Affirmative Action/ADA Compliance Office, telephone 309/298-1977. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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