At its 13th Commencement on Sunday, June 15, Oregon State University - Cascades will draw a crowd of more than 2,600 family and friends of graduates to the Les Schwab Amphitheater in Bend. The branch campus will grant 273 degrees to 270 students in the Class of 2014.
The diploma received by each graduate represents an Oregon State University degree and marks the same achievement and fulfillment of requirements, and carries the same rights, privileges and honors as degrees conferred at the main campus.
In total, OSU-Cascades will have awarded more than 2,400 degrees since it was established in 2001.
The commencement event will begin at 12:00 p.m. OSU-Cascades Vice President Becky Johnson will preside over the ceremonies and OSU Provost Sabah Randhawa will deliver a welcome address.
Rob Summers, an athlete who was paralyzed below the neck in a hit-and-run accident shortly after playing on the Oregon State University baseball team that won the 2006 College World Series, will provide the commencement address. Summers will be introduced by his uncle, Bob Lovelien, formerly a partner with law Bryant, Lovelien & Jarvis in Bend.
In addition to Johnson, Randhawa, Summers and Lovelien, members of the platform party include David Yaden, representing the Oregon University System; Oran Teater, chair of the OSU-Cascades Board of Advisors; Marla Hacker, Dean of Academic Affairs at OSU-Cascades; and members of the faculty.
Distinguished Service Award
During the event, OSU-Cascades will present the campus' fourth annual Distinguished Service Award, an award created to honor individuals, businesses or organizations that have made exceptional contributions to OSU-Cascades, Central Oregon, the State of Oregon, or the world.
The award will be presented to Amy Tykeson, CEO and president of BendBroadband. A leader in the telecommunications industry for more than 30 years, Tykeson serves on the board of directors for the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, CableLabs, C-SPAN, Oregon Health Sciences University and Economic Development for Central Oregon. The Tykeson Family Charitable Trust committed $1 million to the expansion of OSU-Cascades. OSU-Cascades also received a gift from the trust that established the first endowed faculty position at the Bend campus and helped launch the energy systems engineering degree program.
About the Class of 2014
- Of the 270 graduates, bachelor's degrees will be awarded to 206 and master's degrees will be awarded to 64.
- 77 percent of the graduates are from Central Oregon. In addition, 18 of Oregon's 36 counties are represented. Graduates represent 11 other states.
- The average age of the graduating class is 32; the oldest is 68 and the youngest is 21.
- Two candidates for graduation, Christopher M. George of Bend and Kristina N. Schnell of Corvallis, will graduate with a degree from the OSU Honors College. Both will receive degrees in energy systems engineering.
- Eight candidates for graduation will be inducted into Phi Kappa Phi, a scholastic honor society. Juniors in the top 7.5 percent, seniors in the top 10 percent and graduate students who show special ability and are in the top 10 percent of their respective classes are nominated by faculty.
The commencement ceremony will include presentations by OSU-Cascades candidate for graduation, Wendy Hancock, a natural resources major from Bend, and from student body vice president, Kristina N. Schnell. Schnell received the 2014 OSU Women's Center Student Leader Award.
To learn more visit http://www.osucascades.edu/commencement.
Posted June 11, 2014.