BELLINGHAM – Ronald H. LaFayette, President Emeritus of North Seattle Community College, will urge new graduates to keep their own connections with Western Washington University when he addresses graduates and guests at Western’s summer Commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 21 in Carver Gymnasium.

LaFayette, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Western, retired in 2010 following a decade as the vice chancellor and president of North Seattle Community College. At North Seattle CC, LaFayette worked closely with Woodring College of Education to help create pathways for NSCC students to become teachers. He received Woodring’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2009, and is also a member of the WWU Alumni Association board of directors.

At the end of every quarter, the Western Washington University Alumni Association celebrates the accomplishments of the next generation of Western graduates. Volunteers are needed for an hour or two to help congratulate these students and distribute caps, gowns, tickets, prizes and grad packs. A pizza lunch will be provided for volunteers (as will plenty of '70s and '80s music!).

The senior celebration event will take place from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, Aug. 20, in Viking Union Room Multipurpose Room on campus.

The following faculty members should have received a memo from Jana Schueler of the Registrar's Office confirming their attendance at Summer Commencement:

David Bover, Rieko Darling, Kraig Dunn, Anna Eblen, David Fewings, Jeanne Freeman, Bruce Goebel, Bob Keiper, Jennifer Keller, Ilhyung Kim, Susan Kincaid, Chuck Lambert, Ying Li, Billie Lindsey, Susan Mancuso, Dennis Murphy, George (Pinky) Nelson, Kraig Pencil, Ethan Remmel, George Sanders, Amites Sarkar, Kathleen Saunders, Chris Schaefer, Jane Verner, Daniel Warner, Dennis Whitcomb and Kathleen Young.

Commencement activities begin at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 21, in Carver Gym, Red Square and the SMATE Building on the Western Washington University campus. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. and is followed by Memory Walk to Old Main, which concludes at approximately noon.

All academic and administrative units are asked to avoid activity that would conflict with commencement.
 

Current Western Washington University faculty and staff members with an immediate family member graduating in summer quarter may present the student with his or her diploma at summer commencement.

Immediate family includes spouse, partner, child, mother, father, sister, brother, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, grandparent and grandparent-in-law.

The summer commencement ceremony at Western Washington University will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 21. Departments are asked to submit names of participating faculty members no later than Aug. 16 by e-mailing Jana Schueler at jana.schueler@wwu.edu or calling her at (360) 650-3701.

Western Washington University honored its Outstanding Graduates for the 2009-2010 academic year at spring Commencement June 12.

Faculty Members from each academic department select one graduate to honor as the Outstanding Graduate of the year. Selection is a high honor based on grades, research and writing, service to the campus and community and promise for the future.

This year’s Outstanding Graduates include:

ANACORTES

Sarah Ishmael, a student member of Western Washington University's Board of Trustees, speaks at the 9 a.m. commencement ceremony June 12. Ishmael, graduate of Gig Harbor High School, majored in Inclusive Political Advocacy and Higher Education Policy and speaks about how education prepares graduates to make a difference.

Former Washington Secretary of State Ralph Munro ('66) was the keynote speaker at the second ceremony of three Spring Commencement ceremonies at Western Washington University on June 12, 2010.

Kevin Raymond, a former member of the Board of Trustees at Western Washington University, speaks at the third WWU commencement ceremony on June 12, 2010, in Carver Gymnasium.

Raymond, director of external affairs for two green technology companies, is a graduate of WWU's Huxley College of the Environment.

Washington state Gov. Chris Gregoire speaks during the first ceremony of Western Washington University's commencement on June 12, 2010, in Carver Gymnasium on campus.

Images taken at the recent graduation ceremony for students of Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies at Western Washington University are online.

To view, visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/fairhavencollege/sets/72157624289992816/show/.

The Registrar’s Office would like to thank the following people who volunteered at Spring Commencement:

• Marshals: David Brunnemer, Anna Carey, Pee Wee Halsell, Warren Howe, Sherry Mallory, Anna Talvi and Michael Vendiola
• Staff volunteers: John Zuzarte and Fran Maas

Please know that your help was very much appreciated.

Gov. Christine Gregoire, here shaking hands with MBA recipient David Brown, was the keynote speaker at WWU's morning commencement last Saturday. She pushed the graduates to "have a healthy disregard for the impossible" and to be the leaders of the state's next wave of innovation. The keynotes of the afternnon ceremonies were Trustee, alumnus, and former Secretary of State Ralph Munro and alumnus and former WWU Trustee Kevin Raymond.

Gov. Chris Gregoire will speak at the first of three Commencement ceremonies at Western Washington University June 12.

Former Secretary of State Ralph Munro (’66) will speak at the second ceremony and Kevin Raymond, director of external affairs for two green technology companies, will address graduates and guests at the third ceremony.

Also to address graduates: Trustee Ralph Munro ('66), former Secretary of State, and former Trustee Kevin Raymond ('80), clean technology entrepreneur

Gov. Chris Gregoire will speak at the first of three Commencement ceremonies at Western Washington University June 12.

Former Secretary of State Ralph Munro (’66) will speak at the second ceremony and Kevin Raymond, director of external affairs for two green technology companies, will address graduates and guests at the third ceremony.

Spring commencement activities will take place campus wide all day on Saturday, June 12. The main ceremonies are at 9 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. in Carver Gym. Line up is in Red Square, and additional viewing is available in the SMATE Building and Arntzen Hall.

Additional smaller ceremonies and receptions will take place in the afternoon in the Old Main Theater, Performing Arts Center, Wilson Library and Fairhaven Lounge. Guests will begin arriving on campus about 7:30 a.m., and the second Memory Walk ceremony should be completed by 6 p.m.

The following faculty members should have received a memo from Jana Schueler of the Registrar's Office confirming their attendance at spring commencement, which will take place on campus June 12: