Commencement exercises begin today

Elizaveta Prokhorova from Pereslavl-Zalessky, Russia, displays her diplomas in psychology and management during 2010 spring commencement ceremonies. Photo by Craig Chandler/University Communications
Elizaveta Prokhorova from Pereslavl-Zalessky, Russia, displays her diplomas in psychology and management during 2010 spring commencement ceremonies. Photo by Craig Chandler/University Communications

Approximately 2,800 students will receive degrees at UNL commencement exercises May 6 and 7.

Chancellor Harvey Perlman will preside at the ceremonies for recipients of master's and doctoral degrees at the Bob Devaney Sports Center at 3 p.m. May 6, and at the ceremonies for recipients of baccalaureate degrees at 9:30 a.m. May 7. Patrick Dussault, Charles Bessey professor and professor of chemistry, will address the May 6 postgraduate ceremony. Zheng Nanning, president of Xi'an Jiaotong University in China, will address the baccalaureate ceremony and receive an honorary doctor of science.

At the May 7 ceremony, the university will present Builder Awards recognizing service to the state and the university to Paul Engler, a 1951 graduate and CEO of Cactus Feeders, one of the nation's largest cattle operations, and to the late Willard H. Waldo, a 1934 graduate who was an influential leader in the agriculture industry and an engaged participant in his community, state, nation and world.

College of Law commencement exercises begin at 3 p.m., May 7 at the Lied Center for Performing Arts. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas will address the graduates. Susan Poser, dean of the college, will preside.

Zheng has been president of Xi'an Jiaotong University since 2003. The university has more than 30,000 students. It is a partner with UNL's Confucius Institute and also has a partnership degree program with UNL. Zheng holds engineering degrees from Xi'an Jiaotong University and Keio University in Japan.

Dussault, a UNL faculty member since 1988, was selected as UNL's new dean of Graduate Studies this week (read more at http://go.unl.edu/6ct). He holds degrees from University of California, Irvine, and the California Institute of Technology.

Thomas has been an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court since 1991. He attended Conception Seminary and received an A.B., cum laude, from Holy Cross College, and a J.D. from Yale Law School in 1974.

The Devaney Center ceremonies are free and open to the public. However, tickets are required for the Law ceremony and are available to graduates for their guests. Those interested in attending who do not have family or friends providing tickets may contact the Law College at (402) 472-8375.

UNL officials encourage those planning to attend the main ceremonies May 7 to use the 27th Street entrance to Nebraska Innovation Campus and park in the paved lots east of the Devaney Center. Parking is free. Handicap- accessible shuttle buses will be available for easy access to Devaney Center. Handicap permit parking will be available on the north side of the Devaney Center.

A drop-off area for graduates and mobility-restricted guests will be available on the south side of the Devaney Center. Sign-language interpreters for hearing-impaired individuals will be provided through the HuskerVision screens. Reserved seats for guests who are ambulatory restricted will be available next to the stage on the arena floor, as well as in Section B-11. Guests in wheelchairs will be seated on the northeast corner of the arena floor. Because of security concerns, parcels, handbags and camera bags will be subject to search.

The May 7 baccalaureate commencement exercises will be Web-streamed live from the Devaney Center through a link available at http://www.unl.edu.

- Kim Hachiya, University Communications