May 11, 2007
Bowling
Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University conferred 320 master’s and nine specialist degrees, recognized two cooperative doctoral degree recipients and honored outstanding students Friday night in the graduate ceremony of its 161st Commencement.
Jeffery L. Osgood Jr. of Louisville received the John D. Minton Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions by a graduate student and is named for a longtime administrator, WKU’s first graduate dean and the University’s fifth president.
“Jeff personifies the ideal graduate student,” President Gary Ransdell said. “He was well prepared for each class and utilized every opportunity to learn as much as he could.”
Osgood received his Master of Public Administration degree at WKU and is pursuing his doctoral degree in urban and public affairs at the University of Louisville.
Outstanding graduate student awards were presented to the following during the ceremony at Diddle Arena:
*Shawnboda D. Johnson of Bowling Green, College of Education and Behavioral Sciences. Johnson received her master’s in student affairs in higher education.
*Sonya L. House of Bowling Green, College of Health and Human Services. House received her master’s in nursing.
*Bradley S. Bolinger of Bowling Green, Gordon Ford College of Business. Bolinger received his master’s in business administration.
*Yan Zhang of Tian Jin, China, Ogden College of Science and Engineering. Zhang received her master’s in chemistry.
*Amanda L. Fickey-Fields of Bowling Green, Potter College of Arts & Letter. Fickey-Fields received her master’s in folk studies.
As part of the ceremony, each graduate degree recipient was hooded by departmental faculty.
The first two graduates honored were recipients of cooperative doctoral degrees in educational administration offered by WKU and the University of Louisville. They were Lonnie E. McKinney Jr. of Leitchfield and Charles L. Pride of Bowling Green.
Provost Barbara Burch also recognized Dr. Thad Crews, a faculty member in the Department of Physical Education and Recreation who is taking optional retirement.
WKU Commencement activities will continue Saturday with morning and afternoon ceremonies at Diddle Arena for undergraduate students. The 10 a.m. ceremony, featuring the presentation of an honorary doctorate to filmmaker John Carpenter, will include graduates in the Potter College of Arts & Letters, Gordon Ford College of Business, Bowling Green Community College and University College. The 3 p.m. ceremony will include graduates of the College of Health and Human Services, Ogden College of Science and Engineering and College of Education and Behavioral Sciences at Diddle Arena.
The 1,817 spring graduates recognized in Friday and Saturday ceremonies are another record for WKU, which has seen its enrollment post sustained growth over the past nine years. WKU conferred 1,622 degrees in its May 2006 ceremonies.
More information on Commencement Weekend is available online at http://www.wku.edu/Dept/Support/AcadAffairs/Registrar/commencement.htm
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
For information, contact Registrar at (270) 745-3351.
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