Baylor University's Spring Commencement Set For May 18
WACO, Texas -- Baylor University will confer degrees on approximately 1,700 graduates during spring commencement exercises Saturday, May 18, in the Ferrell Center.
The first ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m. for students in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Graduate School arts and sciences programs. The second ceremony begins at
2:30 p.m. for graduates of the Schools of Business, Education, Engineering and Computer Science, Music, Nursing, the Graduate School professional school programs and George W. Truett Theological Seminary.
Special Baylor Alumni Association awards will be presented during both ceremonies, including the George W. Truett Distinguished Church Service Award, which will be given to Milton C. Cunningham during the 9:30 a.m. ceremony, and the Price Daniel Distinguished Public Service Award, which will be presented to former FBI director William S. Sessions during the afternoon ceremony. In addition, Robert B. Jones, senior lecturer in management and Entrepreneur-in-Residence, will receive the 2002 Collins Outstanding Professor Award at the 2:30 p.m. ceremony, while outstanding faculty award winners and retiring faculty will be recognized during both ceremonies.
Baylor President Robert B. Sloan Jr. will give the traditional charge to the students in the morning and afternoon, with greetings brought by John G. Wilkerson Jr., chairman of the Baylor Board of Regents. During the morning ceremony, Dr. Bruce C. Cresson, professor emeritus of religion, will serve as bearer of the mace. Dr. Chester R. Hastings, professor emeritus of educational administration, will have the honor at the afternoon ceremony.
Baylor faculty who have been selected as recipients of Outstanding Professor and Teaching Awards are:
* Outstanding Teaching Award - Brian J. Serr, professor of law; Dr. A.J. Conyers, professor of theology; and Dr. R. Alden Smith, associate professor of classics
* Non-Tenured Tenure-Track Teaching Award - Dr. Robyn L. Driskell, assistant professor of sociology
* Contract or Lecturer Teaching Award - Thomas A. Odegaard, senior lecturer in economics
* Scholarship Award - Dr. John D. Martin, professor of finance and The Carr P. Collins Chair of Finance; Dr. Mairi C. Rennie, director of Armstrong Browning Library; and Dr. Owen T. Lind, professor of biology
* Non-Tenured Tenure-Track Scholarship Award - Dr. Rodney G. Bowden, assistant professor of health, human performance and recreation
* Significant Contributions Other Than Research - Carey Ann Smith, assistant professor and assistant dean for student services in the Louise Herrington School of Nursing
Special recognition also will be given to retiring Baylor faculty: Dr. A. Dale Allen, emeritus professor of management; Dr. Paul T. Armitstead, emeritus professor of history; Dr. Carolyn M. Bell, senior lecturer in nursing; Dr. Phyllis Karns, emeritus professor of nursing and dean of the Louise Herrington School of Nursing; James E. Busby, senior lecturer in finance; Judith W. Francis, senior lecturer in English; Dr. Denise T. Magnuson, visiting professor of chemistry; Dr. Harold W. Osborne, emeritus professor of sociology; Dr. Robert G. Packard, emeritus professor of physics; and Rennie, who also serves as visiting professor of English. Also to be remembered at commencement will be the late William C. Treadwell Jr., associate professor of Christian education and Leadership/Administration at Truett Seminary, who died April 23.
Retiring administrators to be honored include Claude Ervin, associate vice president and special assistant to the vice president for human resources; Ruben M. Santos, director of the Bill Daniel Student Center; and Kenneth L. Simons, assistant vice president for facilities planning and operations.
For more information, contact Lois Ferguson, assistant provost for academic services, at (254) 710-3663.