May 4, 2016 May 7: About 377 to participate in Tri-Cities commencement
By Maegan Murray, WSU Tri-Cities
RICHLAND, Wash. – Approximately 377 students will participate in the Washington State University Tri-Cities commencement ceremony, which begins at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 7, at the Toyota Center, 7000 W. Grandridge Blvd. in Kennewick, Wash.
Doors open at noon. The event is free to the public and tickets are not required.
Among those graduating, 325 students are earning their bachelor’s degrees, 44 master’s and 8 doctoral degrees.
The keynote address will be given by Maria Klawe, president of Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, Calif.
Chancellor Keith Moo-Young will present the welcome address and confer degrees. He will present the Distinguished Alumnus Award to Doug Hamrick, retired chemical disposal project manager and coordinator for the Coug House WSU Tri-Cities is constructing with Tri-County Partners Habitat for Humanity. Michele Acker-Hocevar, interim vice chancellor for academic affairs, will present introductions and recognitions.
Vanessa Alvarez Sanchez, Associated Students of WSU Tri-Cities president, will give an address to the graduates, which will be followed by the student address by 2016 valedictorian Lorenzo Luzi.
Six students were selected to carry gonfalons, which are colorful banners that represent the colleges, based on their academic excellence. Those students include:
• Suzanne Kaye, agricultural, human and natural resource sciences
• Lisa Kissinger, arts and sciences
• Danelle Herr, business
• McKenzie Munn, education
• Jason Stidham, engineering and architecture
• David Jacob Garcia, nursing
WSU Tri-Cities student Kayla Stark will sing the national anthem.
For more information, visit http://tricities.wsu.edu/commencement/.