Newly installed Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe will oversee her first Spring Commencement on Friday and Saturday, May 3 and 4. Ceremonies for the 1,886 eligible graduates will begin at 6:30 p.m. Friday in the Vadalabene Center on campus.
Furst-Bowe was officially installed as SIUE’s eighth chancellor by SIU President Glenn Poshard on Friday, April 19, in ceremonies on campus. As her SIUE tenure began on July 2, 2012, Furst-Bowe is completing her first academic year.
Jerry and Mary Kane will be acknowledged as Distinguished Service Award recipients during the ceremonies. Mary Kane will address the graduates at each of the events except the 5 p.m. Saturday session. Mary Kane is senior vice president, public finance, for Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Inc. in St. Louis. Jerry Kane serves as executive director of the Agency for Community Transit (ACT). Both are long-time SIUE supporters.
Dr. Kay Gaehle, associate professor in the Department of Primary Care and Health Systems in the School of Nursing, will receive the 2013 Teaching Excellence Award.
The festivities begin Friday night with the Graduate School, School of Business and School of Nursing students receiving their degrees. Kevin Caraker, who is earning a bachelor’s in business administration, is the student speaker for Friday’s session.
Ceremonies resume at 9 a.m. Saturday with the Graduate School and School of Education. The morning student speaker is Cassandra Sams, who is receiving a bachelor’s in speech language pathology.
The Saturday afternoon ceremony begins at 1 p.m. with the College of Arts and Sciences followed at 5 p.m. by the School of Pharmacy, College of Arts and Science graduate students and the School of Engineering. The student speakers will be Student Government President Erik Zimmerman, who is earning a bachelor’s in philosophy, during the afternoon session and Jessica Thompson, who is receiving a bachelor’s in industrial engineering, closing the day.
SIUE Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe greets a graduate at the Fall 2012 Commencement ceremony.