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Alumni Achievement Award recipient Tim Pendell, senior director of community affairs for the Detroit Lions, 9:30 a.m. ceremony
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Alumni Achievement Award recipient Lloyd Simonson, retired research director of the Naval Institute for Dental and Biomedical Research at Great Lakes (IL), 9:30 a.m. ceremony.
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Alumni Achievement Award recipient Roger Key, executive director of the Arlington Heights (IL) Park District, 1 p.m. ceremony.
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Alumni Achievement Award recipient Teri Paul, West Prairie High School (Sciota, IL) physical education teacher and volleyball coach, 1 p.m. ceremony.
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Alumni Achievement Award recipient Brian O'Connell, president of Live Nation-Country Touring in Nashville, TN, 1 p.m. ceremony.
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Alumni Achievement Award recipient Denine Guy, a Santa Cruz (CA) County Superior Court Judge, 9:30 a.m. ceremony.
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WIU Fall 2007 Commencement Weekend Dec. 14-15

November 16, 2007

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MACOMB, IL - - Ceremonies recognizing the academic and personal accomplishments of Western Illinois University students and alumni will be held Friday and Saturday, Dec. 14-15 in Macomb during Western's Fall 2007 Commencement Weekend.

The Academic Honors Convocation will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14 in Western Hall. This ceremony recognizes College Scholars, Departmental Scholars, Honors Scholars and graduate candidates who have earned academic distinction throughout their Western Illinois undergraduate career. Students receive a medallion for each honor, which they wear at Commencement ceremonies.

Nearly 1,400 students - - including almost 1,100 undergraduate students, 82 nontraditional students in the Board of Trustees Bachelor of Arts degree program and more than 220 graduate students who have applied for graduation in Fall 2007 - - are eligible to participate in Commencement Ceremonies scheduled for 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15 in Western Hall. The combined ceremonies will include the hooding of graduate degree candidates.

Alumni Achievement Awards will be presented to three individual honorees during each ceremony. Eight graduating students with high academic achievements 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 Individual Studies program.

Alumni Achievement Awards will be presented to Tim Pendell, a Macomb native and 1970 communication arts and sciences graduate who is senior director of community affairs for the Detroit Lions; Lloyd Simonson, a 1966 biology graduate who is the retired research director of the Naval Institute for Dental and Biomedical Research at Great Lakes (IL) for 36 years; and Denine Guy, a 1985 political science graduate who is a Santa Cruz (CA) County Superior Court Judge.

Marshals for the 9:30 a.m. ceremony include the following: Justin Buchholz (Pleasant Hill, IL), manufacturing engineering technology; Charles Cherry (Conesville, IA), interdisciplinary studies; Jason Hartweg (Carthage, IL), management; Ashley Thomas (Pittsfield, IL), graphic communication; Alyssa Campagnoni (Winfield, IL), Spanish; Sara Engels (Kewanee, IL), history; Adam Link (LaHarpe, IL), history; and Caleb Whitson (Mt. Pulaski, IL), agriculture.

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 Roger Key, a 1970 recreation and park administration graduate who is executive director of the Arlington Heights (IL) Park District; Teri Paul, a 1981 physical education and 2003 kinesiology graduate who is the West Prairie High School (Sciota, IL) physical education teacher and volleyball coach; and Brian O'Connell, a member of the 1988 mass communications class who is president of Live Nation-Country Touring in Nashville, TN.

Marshals for the 1 p.m. ceremony include the following: Marlise Bosman (Davenport, IA), elementary education; Jennifer Douglass (Palos Heights, IL), special education; Janel Ensinger (Washington, IL), elementary education; Tyler Finegan (Ashkum, IL), law enforcement and justice administration; Alison Gritz (Fairfield, IA), musical theatre; Melanie Ladage (Macon, IL), special education; Leigh-Ann Mihalopoulos (Wood Dale, IL), law enforcement and justice administration; and Chad Ruter (Shannon, IL), broadcasting.

Western Illinois Associate Provost and Academic Vice President Barbara Baily will lead each Commencement ceremony and President Al Goldfarb will confer degrees and make remarks to the graduating classes. Trustee Chair William Epperly will offer remarks on behalf of the Board of Trustees, and 2007 Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Polly Radosh, chair of Women's Studies, will be recognized in each ceremony. Alumni Council President Pam Hoffman (1970, 1990) will present the Alumni Achievement Awards and offer closing remarks at each ceremony.

Western's University Television (UTV) will broadcast the Academic Honors Convocation and all Commencement ceremonies live on Macomb's Cable Channel 3. The ceremonies will also be streamed live on the web. A link to the web broadcast will be available from Western's homepage at www.wiu.edu during the time of the ceremonies.

DVDs and tapes may be purchased through UTV, telephone 309/298-1880. Photographs of each graduate will also be taken and may be purchased through the Visual Production Center, 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 Western's Office of Equal Opportunity and Access, telephone 309/298-1977, or submit an e-mail at www.wiu.edu/eoa/contact.sphp. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

Alumni Achievement Award Recipients Release
Commencement Information

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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