Baylor University's Spring Commencement Set For May 12
WACO, Texas -- Baylor University will confer degrees on approximately 1,400 graduates during spring commencement exercises Saturday, May 12, 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
3 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 awards, including outstanding graduate, George W. Truett Distinguished Church Service Award, Price Daniel Distinguished Public Service Award and the 2001 Collins Outstanding Professor Award, are scheduled to be presented during the morning ceremony. Outstanding professor and teaching award winners and retiring faculty also will be recognized during both ceremonies.
Baylor President Robert B. Sloan Jr. will give the traditional charge to the students at both ceremonies, with greetings brought by John G. Wilkerson Jr., chairman of the Baylor Board of Regents. Dr. Merle Alexander, professor emeritus of physics, will be the bearer of the mace in the morning ceremony. Dr. Maxine B. Hart, professor emeritus of information systems, has the honor at the afternoon ceremony.
During the morning ceremony, the Baylor Alumni Association will present the George W. Truett Distinguished Church Service Award to brothers and Baylor graduates Richard (Dick) Baker and BO Baker. Both attended Baylor following World War II and were among the leaders of the Youth Revival Movement that swept America during the 1940s and 50s. After serving churches throughout the world, the brothers reunited in 1992 to minister to churches, conferences and conventions, both nationally and internationally, with programs of praise and proclamation.
At the 3 p.m. ceremony, Judge John T. Boyd, Chief Justice of the Seventh Court of Appeals in Amarillo and a former Baylor regent, will be presented with the alumni association's Price Daniel Distinguished Public Service Award.
Also recognized will be Baylor faculty who have been selected as recipients of Outstanding Professor and Teaching Awards. They are Melissa A. Essary, professor of law, and Dr. Phillip Johnson, professor of Spanish, Tenured Teaching Award; Dr. Kenneth W. Van Treuren, associate professor of engineering, Non-Tenured Tenure-Track Teaching Award; Karen R. Johnson, senior lecturer in economics, Non-Tenured Lecturer Teaching Award; Dr. Marjorie J. Cooper, professor of marketing, Dr. Guillermo Garcia-Corales, associate professor of Spanish, and Dr. Roger E. Olson, professor of theology, Scholarship Award recipients; and Dr. Thomas J. Proctor, professor and chair of educational psychology, Significant Contributions to the Academic Community in ways other than teaching or research. This year's recipient of the 2001 Collins Outstanding Professor Award, physics professor and Master Teacher Robert G. Packard, will be honored during the morning ceremony.
Special recognition will be given to retiring Baylor faculty: Dr. Michael Ard, professor of keyboard studies; Dr. Bruce C. Cresson, The W.W. Melton Professor of Religion; Dr. Donald R. Edwards, professor and chair of management; Dr. Dianne Endres, assistant professor of nursing; Dr. Sandra J. Genrich, professor of nursing; Dr. Buddy Gilchrest, professor of health, human performance and recreation; Dr. Nancy R. Goodloe, professor of health, human performance and recreation; Dr. Chester R. Hastings, professor of educational administration; Dr. Glenn O. Hilburn, professor of religion and The George W. Baines Professor of Religion; Dr. Patrick L. Odell, professor of mathematics; Dr. Edithe J. Potter, professor of French; Dr. Kay Toombs, associate professor of philosophy; and Dr. Joseph F. Vélez, professor of Spanish.
For more information, contact Lois Ferguson, assistant provost for academic services, at (254) 710-3663.