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| Even Wally Witt enjoys dressing up for Commencement. |
It has been four years since Commencement took place in its fabled location, Commencement Hollow near the south entrance to the campus. But once again there is activity in and around Commencement Hollow with its grandstands set atop the hill and the stage in the valley below – great care taken to ensure another memorable graduation day experience for the nearly 450 Wittenberg students scheduled to receive their diplomas.
The Myers Hall bell will toll at 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m. and again at noon on Saturday to notify the campus that the ceremony will be held in its intended outdoor location at its scheduled time of 1:30 p.m. If the bell does not ring, that will be a signal that the ceremony will be held in the Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Center, with the doors scheduled to open at noon. Guests should be seated at either venue no later than 1 p.m.
Special parking and seating have been arranged for physically disabled guests. For Commencement exercises held outdoors, physically disabled guests may enter campus before noon through the drive on North Plum Street. A Wittenberg security officer will be at the driveway entrance to give instructions for parking and seating. In the event the exercises are held indoors, physically disabled guests may be dropped off in front of the HPER Center. Because of limited space in the HPER Center, seating is at a premuim, so disabled guests may be seated with only one friend or family member.
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| Rain or shine on Saturday, Commencement day is a special one each year for the Wittenberg community. |
The 2006 Commencement speaker is South African-born award-winning author Mark Mathabane. The author of The New York Times’ bestselling autobiography Kaffir Boy , Mathabane has written several other books and has appeared on numerous TV and radio programs across the country. His provocative articles have appeared in The New York Times, Newsday , U.S. News & World Report and USA Today , and he has been featured in Time, Newsweek and People magazines.
After presenting the keynote address at the ceremony, Mathabane will receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters. Mathabane will be joined by Springfield businessman and philanthropist Fred R. Leventhal, reproductive health specialist Kathryn Schmeding, Wittenberg class of 1955, international human resources development expert Robert W. Schmeding, Wittenberg class of 1953, and East Asian scholar Anthony Yu in receiving honorary degrees during the ceremony .
At last count, 440 degree candidates are scheduled for recognition during the Commencement ceremony, including 18 from the School of Community Education and one adult student who will receive a Master of Arts in Education. Ten of the degree candidates are international students. Undergraduate degrees to be awarded are Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Music Education.
- Ryan Maurer
063-06
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