EIU Media Relations

Nearly 1,600 Students to Participate During EIU Spring Commencement

Nearly 1,600 graduating students plan to participate in commencement ceremonies at Eastern Illinois University on Saturday, May 8.

Ceremonies will take place at 9 a.m., noon, 3 and 6 p.m. in Lantz Arena. Guest tickets are required for admission.

Students from the College of Sciences will march in the morning ceremony, the College of Arts and Humanities and the School of Continuing Education (Bachelor of Arts in General Studies program) at noon, the College of Education and Professional Studies at 3 p.m., and the Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences at 6.

Students from the Graduate School will walk with their respective colleges.

EIU President Bill Perry will preside over the ceremonies. Michelle Murphy, student body president, and John Henry Pommier, chair, EIU Faculty Senate, will also address the graduates.

Representing Eastern's Board of Trustees will be Robert Webb (9 a.m.), Roger Kratochvil (noon), Eric Wilber (3 p.m.) and Julie Nimmons (6 p.m.).

Each ceremony will feature a special guest speaker who will present the official commencement address. H. Ray Hoops, former president of the University of Southern Indiana, will speak at 9 a.m., while Jeffrey Lynch, interim dean, EIU's College of Arts and Humanities, plans to speak at noon. Timothy D. McCollum, an EIU alumnus and nationally recognized science instructor at Charleston Middle School, will address students during the 3 p.m. ceremony, followed by Janet M. Treichel, executive director of the National Business Education Association, at 6.

Hoops and Treichel, along with F.E. "Joe" Glassford, the first state director of special education for the Illinois Board of Higher Education, are Eastern's 2010 honorary degree recipients.

In addition, Janet T. Marquardt, professor of art history and women's studies, will be recognized as the 2010 recipient of Eastern's Distinguished Faculty Award. (This award is traditionally presented during spring commencement exercises; however, as Marquardt will be unable to attend Saturday's ceremony, the award will be formally presented during the December commencement.) The Distinguished Faculty Award is presented annually by the Faculty Senate to a full-time faculty member who has excelled in teaching, professional research/creative activity and service.

Commencement marshals lead the procession while carrying the university mace inscribed with past marshals' names. This spring's commencement marshals are as follows:

• Vincent Gutowski, professor of geology/geography, representing the College of Sciences during the morning ceremony. Gutowski has been a member of Eastern's faculty since 1983.
• William J. Searle, professor of English, representing the College of Arts and Humanities during the noon ceremony. Searle has been a member of Eastern's faculty since 1976.
• Scott A.G.M. Crawford, professor, kinesiology and sports studies, representing the College of Education and Professional Studies during the 3 p.m. ceremony. Crawford has been a member of Eastern's faculty since 1989.
• Deborah A. Woodley, professor, School of Business, representing the Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences during the 6 p.m. ceremony. Woodley has been a member of Eastern's faculty since 1988.

Faculty marshals are given the honor of carrying the college banner for their respective colleges. This spring's faculty marshals are as follows:

• 9 a.m. -- Andrew D. McNitt, Graduate School and College of Sciences; Gary S. Foster, College of Sciences.
• Noon -- Jonathon J. Kirk, Graduate School and College of Arts and Humanities; Bailey K. Young, College of Arts and Humanities; Kathryn Rhodes, School of Continuing Education.
• 3 p.m. -- Heidi A. Larson, Graduate School and College of Education and Professional Studies; Julie T. Dietz, College of Education and Professional Studies.
• 6 p.m. -- Karla J. Kennedy-Hagan, Graduate School and Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences; Betsy Pudliner, Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences.

Michelle E. Moery, a history major from Tinley Park , will serve as the Honors College banner marshal during all four ceremonies.