The newest chapter in the educational careers of more than 1,100 students will be written Saturday, May 12, at SUNY Fredonia’s Commencement exercises at the Steele Hall arena. Separate ceremonies will be staged at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Candidates for graduation in May and August 2007 will be individually recognized, along with graduates from August and December 2006 and January 2007.
Dr. David W. Mittlefehldt, scientist at the NASA/Johnson Space Center and a SUNY Fredonia alumnus, will be the guest speaker at the morning Commencement. Dr. Max Oppenheimer, Fredonia professor emeritus of Foreign Languages, will give the address at the afternoon Commencement.
Senior Class president Garrett Getter, of Clarence, N.Y., and a candidate for a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/Finance, will speak at both programs. Mr. Garrett will be awarded the first bachelor’s degree in the morning ceremony.
Rachel E. King, of Syracuse, N.Y. (see photo at right), will be awarded the Lanford Presidential Prize from the Oscar and Esther Lanford Endowment of the Fredonia College Foundation at the afternoon Commencement. She is a candidate for two degrees, a bachelor’s in Communication/Public Relations and a bachelor’s in English, Summa Cum Laude. Ms. King will be awarded the first bachelor’s degree in the afternoon ceremony.
Katherine Marie Thompson, Class of 2007, will sing “The Star Spangled Banner,” with musical arrangement by Jack Stamp, at both Commencements. She is a candidate for a bachelor’s degree in Music Education, Summa Cum Laude.
Ribbons of orange and maroon, the school colors of Virginia Polytechnic University, will be offered to all graduation candidates, faculty and staff to wear as a symbol of support for the students and faculty who lost their lives there last month.
The Fredonia Wind Symphony, under the direction of Carl Mazzio, will perform the Prelude, Processional, Alma Mater and Recessional in the morning Commencement. The Fredonia Wind Ensemble, led by Dr. Paula Holcomb, Director of Bands, will perform those selections in the afternoon Commencement. Students receiving music degrees will serve as guest conductors of the Wind Ensemble during the Prelude at the afternoon ceremony.
The Fredonia College Choir, under the direction of Dr. Gerald T. Gray, School of Music, will sing “The Promise of Living,” from Aaron Copland’s “The Tender Land.” Shinobu Takagi and Benjamin Woodard, pianists, will accompany the choir.
Master’s degree recipients will be hooded at Commencement by Dr. David Ewing, dean of the College of Natural and Social Sciences; Dr. Christine Givner, founding dean of the College of Education; Thomas Loughlin, interim dean of the College of Arts and Humanities; and Dr. A. Jacqueline Swansinger, interim associate vice president for Graduate Studies and Research.
Serving as readers for the parade of degree candidates at both Commencements will be Ann Carden, assistant professor, and Dr. Joseph Chilberg, professor, both of the Department of Communication.
Serving as faculty/staff marshals at the morning Commencement will be Dr. Gregory Harper, College of Education; and Christine Davis Mantai, director of Media Relations and Website. Dr. Donald Bohlen, School of Music; and Dr. Thomas Morrissey, Department of History, are the afternoon marshals. All are retiring in the near future from SUNY Fredonia.
Student Marshals, selected for their academic performance and service to the campus, will be recognized by President Dennis L. Hefner. They include: Melissa A. Berry, Sara C. Briggs, Brittney R. Bennett and Julia Woodbury at the morning ceremony. Matthew J. Brysinski, recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence, Allyson M. Urban, Brendan M. Keiser and Joseph P. Benedetto will be honored as Student Marshals in the afternoon ceremony.
Invocation and Benediction at both Commencements will be given by the Rev. Frank G. Torain, Open Door No. 3, Church of God in Christ.
Fredonia College Council Chair JoAnn Niebel will offer greetings at both ceremonies on behalf of the Fredonia College Council.
The Mace Bearer for both Commencements will be Dr. Walther Barnard, Department of Geosciences. The sign language interpreter for both ceremonies will be Janelle Krueger.
Graduates will be led to Steele Hall by Student Affairs staff members Robert Mead-Colegrove, associate director of Campus Life, and Jeremy Corrente, Financial Aid advisor.
Commemorative scrolls designed by Jason Petronio, a Visual Arts/Graphics Design major and member of the Class of 2007, will be given to graduates at both ceremonies as gifts of the Fredonia Alumni Association.
Both Commencements will be broadcast live on Time Warner Cable Channel 5 in Fredonia, Cassadaga, Brocton and Stockton, and Channel 19 in Dunkirk, Silver Creek, Forestville and Hanover. Serving as volunteers for the broadcast will be university staff as well as alumni Kevin Hartman, Robert Scott, Brad Markham and John Malcolm.
