Last modified: Thursday, April 26, 2007
Indiana University to award 19,535 degrees in May on eight campuses
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 26, 2007
Editor's note: IU's Radio and Television Services is prepared to deliver the IUB morning and afternoon commencement exercises on the newly established IU-to-Indy fiber lines that terminate in each station (WTHR, WISH, WRTV, WNDY). Interested parties should contact Dave Rust at drust@indiana.edu or 812-855-7019.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A total 19,535 students will be eligible to receive degrees on Indiana University's eight campuses during May. Of these degrees, 17,687 are IU degrees and 1,848 are Purdue University degrees. IU commencement week begins in Bloomington on Saturday, May 5 and concludes at IUPUI on Sunday, May 13.
In Bloomington, where 8,229 students are eligible to participate, IU President Adam W. Herbert will preside over two ceremonies on May 5 in Assembly Hall, the first scheduled for 10 a.m. and the second for 3 p.m. Herbert, who will step down as president on June 30, will offer remarks before giving the official charge to the Class of 2007.
Michael A. McRobbie, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, and president-elect of Indiana University, also will offer remarks before formally presenting the class for graduation.
Tavis Smiley, a popular radio personality, political commentator, motivational speaker, author and Indiana University alumnus, will present the IUB commencement address. Smiley, a native of Kokomo, Ind., was the first American ever to simultaneously host signature talk shows -- Tavis Smiley and The Tavis Smiley Show -- on both PBS and National Public Radio. He also offers political commentary twice weekly on the nationally-syndicated "Tom Joyner Morning Show." For more information on Smiley, go to https://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/5326.html.
One honorary degree will be awarded at the afternoon ceremony in Bloomington. Jeri Taylor, Encino, Calif., a television scriptwriter and producer who is known for her contributions to the Star Trek series, will receive the Doctor of Humane Letters. An Emmy winner for Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1994, Taylor was born in Bloomington and received her bachelor of arts degree from IU.
On other IU campuses, there are 1,848 Purdue University degrees to be conferred this spring. At IUPUI, IPFW and IU East, Purdue and IU degrees will be awarded in joint ceremonies. Purdue degrees will be awarded in separate ceremonies at IU Southeast, IU Kokomo and IU South Bend.
Four honorary degrees will be awarded at IUPUI. Those recipients are: Gerald L. Bepko, the long-time chancellor at IUPUI (1986-2002), who also served as IU's interim president from January to August 2003, will receive the Doctor of Laws degree; LaForrest D. Garner, professor emeritus of orthodontics and former associate dean for Minority Student Services at IUPUI, will receive the Doctor of Science degree; Audrey S. Geisel, the president and CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises and the widow of Theodor Seuss Geisel, will receive the Doctor of Humane Letters degree; and Orlando L. Taylor, vice provost for research and dean of the graduate school at Howard University, will receive the Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
At IPFW, one honorary degree will be awarded to W. Paul Helmke. Mayor of Fort Wayne from 1988 until 2000, Helmke is a former president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and an IU alumnus. He will receive the Doctor of Laws degree.
IU commencement ceremony dates and the numbers of students eligible for degrees, including Purdue University degrees awarded on campuses that have Purdue programs, are as follows:
IU Southeast (May 7) -- 1,042 degrees (1,011 IU and 31 PU)
IU Kokomo (May 8) -- 544 degrees (503 IU and 41 PU)
IU South Bend (May 8) -- 1,025 (989 IU and 36 PU)
IPFW (May 9) -- 1,682 (1,012 IU and 670 PU)
IU Northwest (May 10) -- 892 (all IU degrees)
IU East (May 11) -- 328 (306 IU and 22 PU)
IUPUI (May 13) -- 5,793 (Indianapolis campus: 4,640 IU and 995 Purdue; Columbus campus: 105 IU and 53 Purdue)
For additional information regarding commencement ceremonies at Indiana University campuses, go to: https://www.indiana.edu/~ceremony/.
