UIS to hold 39th commencement ceremony at downtown Springfield convention center

Commencement ceremonies for the University of Illinois Springfield will begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 15, at the Prairie Capital Convention Center, Ninth and Adams streets in downtown Springfield. Of the 1,198 students eligible to graduate, 694 will participate in the ceremony.

Tickets are not required for admission and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no reserved seating except for special needs such as interpretive services and wheelchairs. The doors to the main floor of the center will open at 1 p.m.

The commencement speaker will be Karen Hasara, who graduated from SSU/UIS in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and again in 1992 with a master’s degree in Legal Studies. The former Springfield mayor was appointed to the U of I Board of Trustees by Governor Pat Quinn in September 2009.

Hasara started her career as an elementary school teacher and became the first woman to be elected Springfield mayor in 1995. Before her time in city government Hasara was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1986 and the Illinois Senate in 1993. She also serves on the Chancellor's Community Advisory Board, Alumni Leadership Roundtable, and is a founding member of the Alumni SAGE Society.

Mary Bohlen, Associate Professor of Communication and Chair of the Communication Department at UIS, has been chosen to serve as grand marshal. The student speaker will be Priyanka Deo, who will receive a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Sociology/Anthropology.

Faculty and students in each academic program select one graduating student who best exemplifies the goals and spirit of that program to serve as student marshal for the ceremony.

This year’s marshals are:

Accountancy: Brian A. Fiddes – B.A. (Peoria), Rhonda R. Neubauer – B.A., Heidi E. Nance – M.A.

Biology: Aubrey L. Calvert – B.S., Sarah S. Popovich – M.S.

Business Administration: Joseph L. Bordewick – B.B.A, Daniel S. Hunt – M.B.A. (Peoria), Kathryn E. Martin – M.B.A.

Chemistry: Stephanie Gorsuch – B.S.

Clinical Laboratory Science: Sarah K. Barrett – B.S.

Communication: Valeree C. Dunn – B.A., James K. Anderson – M.A.

Computer Science: Timothy W. Robert – B.S., Derek N. Murray – M.S.

Criminal Justice: Leslie N. Reutter – B.A.

Economics: Jeremy T. Downin – B.A.

Educational Leadership: Sharon E. Mann – M.A.

English: Amelia K. Maddox – B.A., Michael A. Gammon – M.A.

Environmental Studies: Scott W. Hicks – M.A.

History: Matthew E. Parbs – B.A., Justin A. Blandford – M.A.

Human Development Counseling: Yolanda S. Six – M.A.

Human Services: Rebecca Wendle – M.A.

Legal Studies: Brett A. Walker – B.A., Ryan Charles Reese – M.A.

Liberal Studies: William L. Paulsen – B.A.

Liberal and Integrative Studies: Solomon D. Roberts-Lieb – M.A.

Management: Jan D. Sampson – B.A., Richard L. Smith – B.A. (Peoria)

Management Information Systems: Eric William Penegor – M.S.

Mathematical Sciences: Karen Bradley – B.A.

Philosophy: Thomas J. Farmer – B.A.

Political Studies: Priyanka N. Deo – B.A., Joshua A. Blessman – M.A.

Psychology: Amy J. Quarton – B.A.

Public Administration: Nicholas J. Conklin – M.P.A., John Phillips – D.P.A.

Public Affairs Reporting: Kathleen N. Foody – M.A.

Public Health: Ajay A. Myneni – M.P.H.

Social Work: Cassidy E. Crossman – B.S.W.

Sociology/Anthropology: Nina Tangman – B.A.

Teacher Leadership: Nicole Frye – M.A.

Visual Arts: Sara D. Lubeno – B.A

A number of events are planned for graduates, their families and guests, beginning with a reception for Peoria-area students on Friday, May 7. Separate brunches for CAP Honors graduates and online degree graduates are scheduled for Saturday morning, May 15.

Admission to some commencement events is by invitation only. Updated information, including a complete list of events, is available from the commencement website at www.uis.edu/commencement/.

The ceremony will be webcast live at www.uis.edu/technology/uislive.html. DVDs ($25) can also be ordered from the Office of Electronic Media, phone 217/206-6799.

For more information, go to the UIS Commencement website at www.uis.edu/commencement/.