It’s a season of firsts and lasts as the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh heads toward its spring commencement.
The 143rd spring commencement ceremonies will be held at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, May 13, at Kolf Sports Center, 785 High Ave.
At spring commencement, more than 1,500 will graduate with a bachelor’s degree and nearly 200 with a master’s degree–joining more than 90,000 others as UW Oshkosh alumni.
UW Oshkosh Chancellor Andrew Leavitt will confer diplomas to the graduating students. Longtime Provost Lane Earns–who is participating in his last commencement prior to his retirement–will offer greetings and introductions. Earns also will present graduates for the last time at UW Oshkosh.
At the ceremony, State Senator Scott Fitzgerald will offer greetings from the state and Regina Millner will represent the UW System Board of Regents.
BurrusFor the first time in many years, a guest speaker–renowned alumnus Daniel Burrus ’71–will deliver the commencement address. While at UW Oshkosh, Burrus, of Hartland, became one of the first undergraduate students in the nation to direct a federal research grant. Burrus was the recipient of the 2001 UW Oshkosh Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Award. Burrus has been featured by national and international media, is the author of six books and has spoken to thousands of audiences around the world representing industries on the “leading edge” of innovation. Burrus will be awarded an honorary doctorate degree at the afternoon ceremony by Leavitt.
The 9 a.m. ceremony will include the College of Letters and Science and the Division of Lifelong Learning and Community Engagement (recently renamed the Division of Online and Continuing Education); the 2 p.m. ceremony will include the College of Business, College of Education and Human Services, and the College of Nursing.
Katelyn Olson, a communication studies major, will offer remarks on behalf of her class at the morning ceremony.
“I encourage each of you to be storytellers–to go out into the world and make your stories happen, and then never be afraid to share them,” she said. “So much can happen when you reach out and connect to one another.”
Dana Giannelli, an elementary education major, will speak on behalf of her class at the afternoon ceremony.
“You are here today because you conquered the challenges of independence and gained the self-confidence needed to believe in your strengths and improve upon your weaknesses,” she wrote in a draft of her speech.
Following each formal ceremony, a reception for faculty, and new alumni, their parents and guests will be held in Kolf’s lower level.
A live, streaming video is available for those who cannot attend the commencement ceremony on campus. In addition to a live streaming webcast covering the morning and afternoon ceremonies, attendees, online audiences, alumni and UW Oshkosh friends and followers alike are invited to join in on the conversation on UW Oshkosh’s social networks —Facebook and Twitter; use #uwograd as a Twitter hashtag.
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