Spectrum - Volume 19 Issue 15 December 12, 1996 - Commencement exercises scheduled

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Commencement exercises scheduled

By Netta S. Smith

Spectrum Volume 19 Issue 15 - December 12, 1996

More than 1,750 students are eligible to receive degrees in Commencement ceremonies. Friday, Dec. 20, and Saturday, Dec. 21.

To accommodate the large number of graduates, separate ceremonies will be held for graduate and undergraduate students. President Paul Torgersen will confer the degrees at both ceremonies.

The Graduate School ceremony will be held December 20 at 2:30 p.m. in Cassell Coliseum. Associate and bachelor degrees will be conferred at the undergraduate ceremony December 21 at 10 a.m. in Cassell Coliseum.

University Distinguished Professor Paul Siegel, professor of animal and poultry science, will speak at the graduate Commencement. Peggy Meszaros, senior vice president and provost, will make concluding remarks. Doctoral candidates will be hooded by their major professors. As of Spectrum 's publication date, 13 students are eligible to receive certificates of advanced graduate studies, 194 will receive master's degrees, and 594 will be awarded doctoral degrees.

Garry D. Coleman, Cunningham fellow pursuing a Ph.D. in industrial systems engineering, will make remarks at both ceremonies. Danielle Talamantes, pursuing a bachelor's degree in music education and performance, will sing the national anthem and Quantum Brass will provide instrumental music for the undergraduate and graduate ceremonies.

Lucinda Roy, Gloria D. Smith professor of black studies, will speak at the undergraduate ceremony. James P. O'Connell, president of the Class of 1997, will make remarks, as will Nancy B. Sauer, president of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association.

There will be no individual college or department ceremonies. Five associate degrees will be awarded, and 953 bachelors' degrees will be conferred.