WhenSaturday, May 14, 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
WhereMcKale Center
University of Arizona students who have completed graduation requirements as of May 2005 will receive degrees Saturday, May 14, at two ceremonies at McKale Center during the UA's 132nd Commencement. UA President Peter Likins will confer degrees upon 4,013 undergraduates; 867 master's and 262 doctoral degree candidates.
Additionally, 92 medical degrees, 62 pharmacy degrees and 145 juris doctor degrees will be conferred. Seven Master of Laws degrees in Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy along with 12 Master of Laws degrees in International Trade Law also will be awarded.
The academic procession into McKale for the morning ceremony begins at 9 a.m. and at 1:30 p.m. for the afternoon ceremony.
University of Arizona graduate and Phoenix Suns majority owner Robert G. Sarver will address the morning ceremony and U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., will be the afternoon speaker.
Press photographers should note: Platforms will be located on the floor of McKale to facilitate video and still photographers. You may photograph from anywhere inside McKale until the ceremonies begin. Photographers shall then clear the floor aisles and use the platforms or remain in the corners.
Awards:
The Alumni Achievement Award will be presented to Naomi Karp during the morning ceremony. Karp holds two degrees from the UA which include a bachelor's in psychology and a master's in education. Her career of nearly 40 years began as a classroom teacher in Tucson where she rose to a distinguish herself in national education policy in special education. Her efforts culminated in her appointment as the nation's leading advocate for early childhood education policy. In addition, she created and was the first director of the National Institute on Early Childhood Development and Education. Karp has had a profound impact on millions of children and disabled people across the country and beyond. Presently, she advises Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano on early childhood education issues.
Honorary Degrees: The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters will be conferred upon Sir Peter North. North, principal of Jesus College at Oxford and former vice-chancellor of Oxford, has had a distinguished career in law, public service and higher education in the United Kingdom. The UA hosted North when he visited the campus and lectured for part of the 2002 fall semester. He addressed issues of higher education from the British perspective and also discussed topics of law reform and international trade. North has served as adviser to the British government on issues that range from negotiations with the European Economic Community to problems in Northern Ireland. He is the author of 15 books on a variety of topics related to the law. In 1998 in recognition of his distinguished service, North was granted a knighthood.
Daniel Cracchiolo will be presented for the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters. Cracchiolo received his juris doctor degree from the UA in 1952. He served as law clerk to Arizona Supreme Court Justice Evo DeConcini. Cracchiolo then spent three years as a deputy county attorney in Maricopa County. From that office, Cracchiolo went on to serve as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. He is a member of the prestigious International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the American Judicature Society and the International Association of Defense Counsel. He serves as chairman of his law firm, Burch and Cracchiolo, P.A. He has served as president and director of the Steele Foundation, a private foundation dedicated to the support of religious, education and scientific endeavors. The Steele Foundation has donated generously to the UA, including the Steele Memorial Children's Research Center, the James E. Rogers College of Law, the College of Humanities and University of Arizona/University of Florence (Italy) Exchange.
Jack H. Dean will be presented for the honorary degree of Doctor of Science. Dean received his doctorate in molecular biology from the UA in 1972. He has held a number of distinguished research positions with leading pharmaceutical firms, including Sterling Winthrop, Litton Bionetics and Sanofi-Synthelabo. Currently, Dean is president of U.S. Research and Development and Global Preclinical Development for Sanofi-Aventis, the world's third largest pharmaceutical company. During his career, he has been involved in the registration of nine new drugs. Dean's service to the UA includes past membership on the National Advisory Board of the UA College of Pharmacy.
Morris Halle will be presented for the honorary degree of Doctor of Science. Hall is considered the central 20th century figure in transforming the field of linguistics into a modern science that bridges the social sciences, physical sciences and humanities. Halle's research and writings have been a beacon for the field of phonology; bridging acoustics; traditional linguistics; computational modeling; psychology and literary studies. Many of his more than 200 publications have been milestones in the last five decades of linguistic theory. Halle has been a major contributor in early meetings and documents that resulted in the modern field of cognitive science.
Student Awards:
Robie Medals will be presented to Aaron F. McKenny and Iram Ahmad. Qualifications for this award include personal integrity, initiative, enthusiasm, humility, well-rounded interests, active participation in student affairs and service to the university.
McKenny is graduating with honors and will receive a Bachelor of Science degree from the Eller College of Management. His triple major is in entrepreneurship, management information systems and operations management. McKenny has been involved in furthering the education of others, both on and off the UA campus. He has won several national awards for his accomplishments in the areas of business decision making and business plan writing.
Ahmad will receive two degrees, a Bachelor of Science in molecular and cellular biology and a Bachelor of Arts in art history. An honors graduate, she is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and has been selected as the Outstanding Senior for the department of molecular and cellular biology. Since her freshman year Ahmad has been studying Neimann-Pick Type C, a rare cholesterol storage disorder at a pediatric genetics lab at the Steele Memorial Children's Center at Arizona Health Sciences Center.
Freeman Medals will be presented to Alistair Jon Chapman and to Xuemei Cai. Qualifications for this award include moral force of character, receipt of athletic awards, and membership in organizations and service on committees in a leadership capacity.
Chapman will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in molecular and cellular biology and a Bachelor of Health Science degree with a major in physiology and a minor in chemistry. Chapman has excelled academically and has applied these skills as a student researcher at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. He cites his extracurricular experiences with providing innumerable opportunities. In addition to many community activities, he was in the leadership role of student body president where he served as the spokesperson and advocate for the students on the UA campus. Among his accomplishments was the reinstatement of the December 2004 Commencement ceremony.
Cai will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in East Asian studies from the College of Humanities and a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology from the College of Science. As a Flinn and National Merit Scholar, Cai has helped recruit talented new students to the University. She has also played a role in promoting programs for youth tobacco cessation in local middle schools and high schools. Cai's interest in medicine as a career has been reinforced by her clinical internships at Bo Ai Hospital in Shanghai and University Medical Center.
Nugent Awards will be presented to Megan Hammer and to Joshua Hosea Wright. Qualifications for these awards include a record of accomplishments such as active and enthusiastic participation and service in the community and in the university.
Hammer will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in nutritional sciences with an emphasis in dietetics from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Hammer has assumed a leadership role in a variety of organizations, including Bobcats Senior Honorary, Chain Gang Junior Honorary and the Associated Students of The University of Arizona. She has been involved with the Arizona Cancer Center's Women's Healthy Eating and Living Study where she has worked as a research assistant for three years. Megan has also worked with Arizona Cooperative Extension's Bone Builder's Osteoporosis Prevention Program.
Wright will receive two Bachelor of Arts degrees. One degree is from the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences with a major in psychology and another from the College of Humanities with a major in religious studies. While a student at the UA he has been dedicated to campus safety outreach efforts, among other issues. Wright served two consecutive terms as director of the Associated Students of The University of Arizona Safe Ride program and sought to professionalize the service for it to meet the growing needs of students, faculty and staff.
Colleges graduating at the morning ceremony include:
College of Architecture and Landscape ArchitectureCollege of EducationCollege of EngineeringCollege of HumanitiesCollege of ScienceEller College of Business and Public AdministrationJames E. Rogers College of LawGraduate College (advanced degrees associated with the above colleges)
Colleges graduating at the afternoon ceremony include:
Arizona International CollegeCollege of Agriculture and Life SciencesCollege of Fine ArtsCollege of MedicineCollege of NursingCollege of PharmacyCollege of Public HealthCollege of Social and Behavioral SciencesUniversity SchoolGraduate College (advanced degrees associated with the above colleges and all interdisciplinary master's degrees)
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