UNIVERSITY PARK – Penn State will hold its 2006 summer commencement ceremonies at University Park Aug. 12, for 1,879 total graduating students.
An estimated nine associate, 1,160 baccalaureate and 710 graduate degree students will be recognized at the ceremonies, over which Penn State President Graham B. Spanier will preside.
The associate and baccalaureate ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. in the Bryce Jordan Center, and The Graduate School ceremony will begin at 2:30 p.m., also in the Bryce Jordan Center.
Throughout the Penn State system, an estimated 163 will graduate with associate degrees, 1,439 with baccalaureate degrees and 959 with graduate degrees, for a systemwide total of 2,561 summer graduates.
John R. Horner, regents’ professor and curator of paleontology for the Museum of the Rockies at Montana State University in Bozeman, Mont., and consultant for Hollywood’s “Jurassic Park” films, will speak and receive an honorary doctoral degree at the undergraduate commencement ceremonies. Daniel Cosgrove, who holds Penn State’s Eberly family chair in biology and was elected recently to the National Academy of Sciences, will address students at the graduate ceremonies.
In addition to the main commencement ceremonies, Schreyer Honors College will recognize about 59 graduating seniors during its medals ceremony at 5 p.m. Aug. 11 at The Nittany Lion Inn.
Spanier will provide the welcome remarks, and Penn State Executive Vice President and Provost Rodney Erickson will provide special and closing remarks and present student awards, assisted by the honors college’s newly appointed dean, Christian M.M. Brady.