AUSTIN, Texas—The president of Sesame Workshop, the creator of the longest-running Broadway musical and the former Enron executive who exposed the company’s accounting practices will be among the speakers talking to graduates at spring 2003 convocation ceremonies May 16 and 17 at The University of Texas at Austin.
Convocations hosted by the various colleges, schools and departments are the ceremonies during which undergraduates and graduate students are recognized individually. The convocations have unique honors and traditions and provide excellent photo opportunities for families and friends to capture special moments, such as the hooding of doctor’s and master’s degree students or of deans shaking hands with graduates as they walk across the stage.
Tickets are required for the following convocations: School of Architecture, School of Nursing, Plan II Honors Program, MBA and MPA/PPA.
The convocation speakers will include Gary Knell, president and chief executive officer of Sesame Workshop in New York City; Harvey Schmidt, creator of the Fantasticks, the longest running Broadway musical; and Sherron Watkins, a former vice president of Enron Corp. and Time Magazine’s Co-Person of 2002 for exposing Enron’s accounting practices.
All graduating students also are invited to join together on the South Mall of the Main Building for the Commencement 2003 ceremony on May 17, which begins with a carillon prelude at 7 p.m. and ends with the traditional singing of “The Eyes of Texas.” Michael Dell, chairman and chief executive officer of Dell, will be the keynote speaker during the ceremony.
Additional commencement information is available on the Commencement Web site.
Listed below are the convocations for the various colleges, schools and departments, the names of people to contact for information and names of the keynote speakers. Also listed are special spring ceremonies by other groups.
Friday, May 16:
- 9 a.m. – McCombs School of Business (undergraduate ceremony) Erwin
Center. Contact: dean’s office 512-471-0690. Speaker: Jim Mulva,
CEO of Conoco Phillips. - 9 a.m. – College of Pharmacy, Bass Concert Hall, Performing Arts
Center. Contact, Lisa Meyer 512-475-9753. Speaker: Robert M. Elenbaas,
Pharm.D., FCCP, executive director of the American College of Clinical
Pharmacy. - 10 a.m. – 6 p.m – The Great TEXAS EX-IT Open House, Etter-Harbin
Alumni Center, 2110 San Jacinto St. - 10 a.m. – College of Liberal Arts, Gregory Gymnasium, (Joint convocation
for the disciplines listed below. For departments not included, please
consult the remaining schedule for time and location.) The disciplines
include: Department of Anthropology, Center for African and African
American Studies, Department of American Studies, Department of Asian
Studies, Department of Classics, Department of French and Italian, Department
of Geography, Department of Germanic Studies, Humanities Program, Institute
of Latin American Studies, Department of Linguistics, Department of
Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, Center for Middle Eastern Studies,
Department of Philosophy, Center for Religious Studies, Department of
Slavic Languages and Literatures, Department of Spanish and Portuguese,
Department of Sociology, and Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies.
Contact: Nicole Evans, 512-471-4271. Speaker: Joe Long, philanthropist
and retired banker. - Noon – Master of Business Administration (MBA) recognition ceremony,
Bass Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. Reception in the Hall of
Honors, McCombs School of Business. Contact: Mary Gallardo, 512-471-7604.
Speaker: Jim Mulva, chief executive officer of Conoco Phillips. - 1 p.m. – Joint ROTC Commissioning Ceremony, Bates Recital Hall, Performing
Arts Center. Contact: Mark R. Fairchild, Lt. Col., USAF 512-232-2371.
Speaker: Lt. Gen. John D. Hopper Jr., vice commander, Air Education
and Training Command, with headquarters at Randolph Air Force Base,
Texas. - 2 p.m. – College of Education, Gregory Gymnasium. Contact: Theresa
Thomas 512-471-3486. Speaker: James Barufaldi, professor in the university’s
Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education, and
a nationally known researcher in science education. - 2:30 p.m.- College of Communication (ceremony includes graduate and
undergraduate students), Erwin Center. Contact: Phyllis Akmal 512-475-6375.
Speaker: Gary Knell, president and chief executive officer of Sesame
Workshop in New York City. - 2:30 p.m. – Department of History, College of Liberal Arts, Hogg
Auditorium. Contact: William Sederholm 512-471-3261. Speaker: Doug English,
businessman and former All-American defensive tackle for The University
of Texas at Austin and player for the Detroit Lions, 1975-85. - 3 p.m. – College of Fine Arts, Bass Concert Hall, Performing Arts
Center. Contact: Lydia Guenthner 512-475-7034. Speaker: Harvey Schmidt,
a 1952 graduate of the university’s College of Fine Arts and creator
of the Fantasticks, the longest-running Broadway musical. - 4 p.m. – Minority Graduation Reception, Connally Banquet Hall, Etter-Harbin
Alumni Center. Contact: Rosie Garza, 512-471-1205. Speaker: Dr. Larry
R. Faulkner, president of The University of Texas at Austin. - 6 p.m. – Department of Government, College of Liberal Arts, Bass
Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. (Ceremony includes graduate and
undergraduate students.) Contact: Nancy Moses 512-471-5121. Speaker:
Sarah Weddington, attorney. - 6 p.m. – Master of Professional Accounting (MPA) Recognition Ceremony,
Gregory Gymnasium. Contact: PPA/MPA Office 512-471-6559. Speaker: Sherron
Watkins, a former vice president of Enron Corp. and Time Magazine’s
Co-Person of 2002 for exposing Enron’s accounting practices. - 7 p.m. – College of Engineering, Erwin Center. (Ceremony includes
graduate and undergraduate students.) Contact: Ann Bedinger 512-471-1166.
Speaker: Duy-Loan Le, a senior fellow working at Texas Instruments.
Her family fled Vietnam in 1975 and came to the United States where
she was graduated magna cum laude from The University of Texas at Austin
in 1982 at 19 years old with a bachelor’s degree in electrical
engineering. She holds 14 patents with 11 pending.
Saturday, May 17:
- 8 a.m. – College of Natural Sciences, Erwin Center. Contact: Barbara
Spain 512-232-1067. Speaker: Jean Andrews, a writer and artist in Austin
known for her work, “Peppers: The Domesticated Capsicums.” - 9 a.m. – Graduate Studies (master’s degree candidates), Bass
Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. Contact: Reed Smith, 512-232-3627.
Speaker: Victoria Rodriguez, vice provost and interim dean of graduate
studies. - 9 a.m. – Plan II Honors Program, College of Liberal Arts, Hogg Auditorium.
Contact: Jennifer Scalora, 512-471-1442. Speaker: Roger Worthington,
a trial lawyer who specializes in asbestos cancer litigation. - 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. – The Great TEXAS EX-IT Open House, Etter-Harbin
Alumni Center, 2110 San Jacinto St. - 9:30 a.m. -Department of Economics (ceremony includes graduate and
undergraduate students), College of Liberal Arts, Gregory Gymnasium.
Contact: Prudence Ching, 512-475-8507. Speaker: Robert D. McTeer Jr.,
president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of
Dallas. - 10:30 a.m. -School of Nursing (ceremony includes graduate and undergraduate
students), Lyndon B. Johnson Auditorium. Contact: Sue Walker, 512-232-4799.
Speaker: Dennis M. Perrotta, PhD, CIC, the Texas State Epidemiologist,
Texas Department of Health. - 11 a.m. – Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, Bates Recital
Hall, Performing Arts Center. Contact: Courtney Brown, 512-471-8288.
Speaker: Gwen Ifill, Washington correspondent for Public Broadcasting
Service. - Noon – Graduate Studies (doctor’s degree candidates), Bass
Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. Contact: Reed Smith, 512-232-3627.
Speaker: Dr. Larry R. Faulkner, president of The University of Texas
at Austin. - 12:30 p.m. – School of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences,
Erwin Center. Contact: Barbara Spain, 512-232-1067. Speaker: Jean Andrews,
a writer and artist in Austin known for her work, “Peppers: The
Domesticated Capsicums.” - 2:30 p.m. – Department of English, College of Liberal Arts, Gregory
Gymnasium. Contact: Cecilia Smith-Morris, 512-232-2338. Speaker: Dr.
Betty Sue Flowers, director of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and
Museum. - 1 p.m. – School of Information, University Teaching Center 2.112A.
Reception in the Sanchez Building, 5th floor. Contact: Melba Claymon,
512-471-2185. Speaker: Dr. Ronald E. Wyllys, a professor and former
dean of the School of Information. - 3 p.m. – Center for Mexican American Studies (ceremony includes graduate
and undergraduate students), College of Liberal Arts. University Teaching
Center 2.112A. Reception following ceremony. Contact: Jordana Barton,
512-471-2136. Speaker: Austin Mayor Gus Garcia. - 3 p.m. – School of Social Work (ceremony includes graduate and undergraduate
students), Bass Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. Contact: Julie
Cunniff, 512-471-0562. Speaker: Students and King Davis, director of
the Hogg Foundation. - 3:30 p.m – School of Architecture (ceremony includes graduate and
undergraduate students), Texas Union Ballroom 3.202. Reception in Goldsmith
Building. Contact: Jeanne Crawford, 512-471-0109. Speaker: W. Owen Harrod,
architect. - 3:30 p.m – School of Law, Erwin Center. Contact: Susana Alemán,
512-232-1313. Speaker: Patrick Oxford, a former University of Texas
regent who is managing partner of the Houston office of Bracewell and
Patterson. - 3:30 p.m – Department of Psychology (ceremony includes graduate and
undergraduate students), College of Liberal Arts, Gregory Gymnasium.
Contact: Alice Andrews, 512-471-4410. Speaker: Dr. Teresa Sullivan,
executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, University of Texas
System.
