University News
WIU Commencement Weekend May 11-13
May 3, 2012
MACOMB/MOLINE. IL- Ceremonies recognizing the academic and personal accomplishments of Western Illinois University students and alumni will be held Friday-Saturday, May 11-12 in Macomb and Sunday, May 13 in the Quad Cities during Western Illinois' 2012 Spring Commencement Weekend.
More than 1,840 students are eligible to participate in all Commencement Ceremonies. Nearly 450 graduate-level students are eligible to participate in the Friday, May 11 ceremony in Macomb, including two candidates who will graduate with Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.) degrees. They are Lonny Brian Lemon (Quincy, IL) and Laurie J. Bliven Noll (Burlington, IA).
Two receiving Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.) degrees will also march in the May 13 Quad Cities ceremony. They are Ricardo Espinoza (Mendota, IL) and Robert John Libka (Lake in the Hills, IL).
Approximately 1,400 students are eligible to participate in the undergraduate ceremonies May 12 in Macomb and May 13 in the Quad Cities.
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI
Two individuals will receive Western Illinois' Distinguished Alumni Award. They are John M. Brannigan, senior vice president at HomeSphere, and Laura J. Janus, co-founder, chief investment officer and portfolio manager of Fixed Income. Brannigan and Janus will be recognized at the 9 a.m. ceremony Saturday, May 12.
Brannigan is a member of the WIU President's Advisory Board and the College of Business and Technology National Advisory Board, and was named the WIU College of Business and Technology 2007 Distinguished Alumnus. He and his wife, DeeDee, established the Jack and DeeDee Brannigan Scholarship, and they are supporters of the Alumni Association, Presidential Scholarship Fund and intercollegiate athletics.
Janus is a member of the WIU President's Advisory Board, the College of Business and Technology National Advisory Board and the WIU Foundation Board. She was named the 2008 WIU Accountancy Outstanding Alumna. Janus is a supporter of her alma mater and established an endowment to fund accounting scholarships.
For more information on these alumni, see the April 24 news release, "Brannigan, Janus: Distinguished Alumni" at wiu.edu/news.
MACOMB HONORS, COMMISSIONING AND COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES
Provost Ken Hawkinson will serve as master of ceremonies for each ceremony. Greetings will be given by Bill Epperly, chair of the Board of Trustees, and President Jack Thomas will present remarks to each graduating class. WIU's Distinguished Faculty Lecturer, Professor of Chemistry T. K. Vinod, will be recognized at each ceremony. The Western Illinois University Concert Band, under the baton of Associate Director of Bands Matt Thomas, will play for the Macomb ceremonies.
Events scheduled for Friday, May 11 include the following:
• 2 p.m. Academic Honors Convocation, Western Hall – College, Honors and Departmental Scholars and students with academic distinction based on grade point average (GPA) receive a medallion for each academic honor. Graduating senior Sarah Joanne Noack (Eureka, IL) is the Convocation speaker. National Anthem singer: Laura L. Dittmar (Elizabeth, IL), B.M. Vocal Performance, Class of 2012.
• 4 p.m. Army ROTC Commissioning, University Union Heritage Room – Army ROTC cadets who have completed requirements will be commissioned to active or reserve duty as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army.
• 5:30 p.m. Graduate Hooding and Commencement Ceremony, Western Hall. National Anthem singer: Blake Berry Davy (Morris IL), BFA Musical Theatre, Class of 2012.
Saturday, May 12 Undergraduate Commencement Ceremonies in Western Hall
To find the list of majors by college, go to wiu.edu/commencement/majors.php.
• 9 a.m. ceremony will recognize graduates in the College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) and the College of Business and Technology (CBT). Distinguished Alumni Awards will be presented to John Brannigan ('76, engineering technology) and Laura Janus ('70, accountancy). National Anthem singer: Charice D. Rodgers (Chicago 60643), B.M. Vocal Performance, Class of 2012.
Marshals, who are graduating seniors selected from the top scholars earning high academic distinction, guide the graduating class, faculty and stage party from the processional to the recessional. They are: Tara Marie Brownlow (Macomb, IL), accountancy major; Amy Jo Byers (Ferris, IL), accountancy major; Abby Levine Chien (Peoria, IL), music major; Kevin Andrew Heideman (Pleasant Plains, IL), agriculture major; Andrea Beltran Landers (Lima, Peru), music major; Michelle Ann Matuszyk (Kewanee, IL), graphic communication major; Charity Lynn Otte (Freeport, IL), communication major; Matthew Ryan Vermeere (Moline, IL), supply chain management major.
• 1 p.m. ceremony will recognize graduates in the College of Education and Human Services (COEHS). National Anthem singer: Natalie Randall (Springfield, IL), B.M. Choral, Class of 2012.
Marshals are: Amy Nicole Bednarko (Athens, IL), athletic training major; Jacqueline Grace Galloway (Carthage, IL), law enforcement and criminal justice major; Marlaina Beth Liskey (Asbury, IL), social work major; Laura Joelle Schahl (Lincoln, IL), elementary education major; Lucia M. Stambaugh (Astoria, IL), social work major; Calli Lavon Vonk (Chillicothe, IL), special education major; Krista Grace Weaver (Canton, IL), elementary education major; Bethany Floy Wittenauer (Amboy, IL), emergency management major.
• 4:30 p.m. ceremonies will recognize candidates for graduation in the Bachelor of Arts in General Studies (BGS), the Interdisciplinary Studies Program and the College of Arts and Sciences. National Anthem singer: Erin Elizabeth Norlie (Chesterfield, MO), BFA Musical Theatre, Class of 2012.
Marshals are: Starlet Elizabeth Baker (Tennessee, IL), philosophy major; Paige Ann Brinkmann (Carlyle, IL), English major; Tucker Christian Copi (Springfield, IL), political science major; Sean Thomas Crowe (Crystal Lake, IL), physics major; Trisha M. Kuster (Macomb, IL), nursing major; Chelsea Ann Peterson (Roseville, IL), nursing major; Gina Marie Sacchetti (Arlington Heights, IL), psychology major; Gregory Wooley (Oswego, IL), English major and graphic communication major.
Sunday, May 13 Quad Cities – Honors and Combined Ceremonies at the i wireless Center, Moline
Trustee Carolyn Ehlert Fuller will give greetings on behalf of the Board of Trustees at the 1 p.m. ceremony.
• Noon Academic Honors Convocation
• 1 p.m. Combined Graduate and Undergraduate Commencement
Marshals are: Jeff Ash (Moline, IL), Masters of Science in Education; Brittany Briggs (Cambridge, IL), elementary education major; Wendy Orman (Le Claire, IA), elementary education major; and Lindsey Rudolph (St. Charles, MO), Masters of Science in Biology.
Western's Brass Ensemble, under the direction of School of Music Professor Randall Faust, will play at the Quad Cities ceremony. Members include: DeMontrio Lyle (Colona, IL, sophomore, music performance and composition major), trumpet; Kasey Herndon (Macomb, IL, senior, music performance), trumpet; David Hellyer (Millington, IL, freshman, music performance), trumpet; Robert Palmer (East Moline, IL, graduate student, music performance), horn; Armando Mejia (Bensenville, IL, sophomore, music performance major), euphonium; and John Gonzalez (Calumet City, IL, senior, music education/instrumental major), bass trombone.
FLAGS
The flags of 16 nations representing the Spring 2012 graduating class will be displayed on the stage. Sponsored by Western's Center for International Studies, the flags represent the following countries: Afghanistan, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, China, Greece, India, Jamaica, Japan, Mauritius, Nepal, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan and the USA.
GONFALONS AND GONFALONIERS
Gonfalons, which are banners hung from a crossbar on poles, made their inaugural appearance in the Fall 2009 Commencement ceremonies. Western Illinois University gonfalons are for the School of Graduate Studies, as well as for each of the four academic colleges: Arts and Sciences (white); Business and Technology (royal blue); Education and Human Services (UN blue); and Fine Arts and Communication (spice brown). Those who are chosen to carry the gonfalons are called gonfaloniers. This honor has been awarded to the following faculty members:
At WIU-Macomb
• The WIU gonfalon will be carried at each ceremony by Algerian Hart, assistant professor, kinesiology
Friday, May 11
• 5:30 p.m -. – Kim McClure, professor, psychology, Graduate School
Saturday, May 12
• 9 a.m. – William "Buzz" Hoon, interim chair and professor, broadcasting, College of Fine Arts and Communication; and Marietta Loehrlein, professor, agriculture, College of Business and Technology
• 1 p.m. – Renee Polubinsky, associate professor, kinesiology, College of Education and Human Services
• 4:30 p.m.– Brian Peer, associate professor, biological sciences, College of Arts and Sciences
At WIU-QC
• 1 p.m. – Kristi Mindrup, assistant vice president, Quad Cities and planning
Scott Brouette, M.S.-Ed. 2010
Everett Hamner, assistant professor, English, College of Arts and Sciences;
Ann Walsh, professor, marketing, College of Business and Technology
Debbie Lee, assistant professor, curriculum and instruction, College of Education and Human Services
Charles Wright, professor and chair, art College of Fine Arts and Communication
LIVE BROADCAST/WEB STREAM
Western's University Television (UTV) will broadcast the Academic Honors Convocation and all Macomb Commencement ceremonies live on Macomb's Cable Channel 3. The Macomb ceremonies will also be streamed live on the web. A link to the web broadcast will be available from Western's homepage at wiu.edu during the time of the ceremonies.
DVDs AND PHOTOS
DVDs of the Macomb and Quad Cities ceremonies may be purchased through UTV at (309) 298-1880. Photographs of each graduate will be taken as they receive their diploma cover. Proof sheets will be mailed from Western's Visual Production Center to each graduate, with instructions for ordering photos.
OPEN CEREMONIES; ADA REQUESTS
Ceremonies are open to family and friends of the graduates. Tickets are not required; seating is on a first-come basis. Doors open 90 minutes before each ceremony. An interpreter will sign each ceremony. Individuals needing special accommodations for the Macomb ceremonies should contact Western's Equal Opportunity and Access Office, telephone (309) 298-1977. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.
Individuals needing special accommodations for the Quad Cities ceremony should contact Chris Brown at WIU-Quad Cities, call (309) 762-9481, ext. 62287, or email MC-Brown2@wiu.edu. Office hours are 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing
Connect with us: