Several outstanding faculty members, corporate and foundation leaders, a student chosen by his peers and John W. Barnhill, a member of the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System, will be among the keynote speakers addressing students and their families during fall convocation 2007 ceremonies Saturday, Dec. 8, and Sunday, Dec. 9, at The University of Texas at Austin.
About 3,350 graduates this fall semester will include about 2,475 undergraduates, 20 law students, 140 doctoral students and 715 students receiving their master’s degrees.
Convocation ceremonies, hosted by the various colleges and schools, are occasions when these components celebrate their graduates’ achievements with individualized honors and traditions. The convocations provide photo opportunities for candidates’ families to capture moments such as the hooding of doctor’s and master’s students or a dean shaking students’ hands as their names are called and they walk across the stage. More information about convocation programs is available online.
Fall graduation activities do not include a university-wide commencement ceremony.
Parking for convocation activities is free in designated areas on a first come, first served basis. On Saturday, Dec. 8, and Sunday, Dec. 9, with the exception of spaces marked “At All Times,” all university parking garages and most surface lots are available.
In honor of graduating students receiving their degrees the university’s Tower will be lighted orange with “07” displayed on all sides of building windows on Saturday and Sunday.
The convocation activities include:
Saturday, Dec. 8
9 a.m. — Cockrell School of Engineering (Ceremony includes graduate and undergraduate students.) Frank Erwin Center. Speaker: Ernest H. Cockrell, chairman of Cockrell Interests, Inc. and president and director of The Cockrell Foundation.
9 a.m. — School of Nursing (Ceremony includes graduate and undergraduate students.) Hogg Memorial Auditorium; Speaker: Charles J. Barnett, president and chief executive officer of Seton Family of Hospitals.
Noon — College of Communication (Ceremony includes graduate and undergraduate students.) Frank Erwin Center. Speaker: John W. Barnhill, member of the Board of Regents, The University of Texas System.
Noon — School of Information. Jessen Auditorium, Homer Rainey Hall; Speaker: Loriene Roy, professor, School of Information, and president of the American Library Association.
Noon — School of Social Work. (Ceremony includes undergraduate and graduate students.) Hogg Memorial Auditorium. Speaker: Olubunmi Basirat Oyewuwo, bachelor of social work student chosen by peers.
1 p.m. – Jackson School of Geosciences (Ceremony includes graduate and undergraduate students.) Jackson Geological Sciences Building, Don R. Boyd Auditorium. Speaker: Dr. Scott W. Tinker, director of the Bureau of Economic Geology in the university’s Jackson School of Geosciences.
3 p.m. — College of Education. Frank Erwin Center. Speaker: Dr. Paul Resta, director of the university’s Learning Technology Center.
3 p.m. — College of Fine Arts. Hogg Auditorium. Speaker: Andrew Dell’Antonio, associate professor in the university’s School of Music.
6 p.m. — College of Liberal Arts (Ceremony includes graduate and undergraduate students.) Frank Erwin Center. Speaker: H.W. Brands, The Raymond Dickson, Alton C. Allen and Dillon Anderson Centennial Professor of History in the university’s Department of History.
6:30 p.m. — School of Architecture (Dinner for graduate and undergraduate students.) Goldsmith Hall, Mebane Gallery. Speaker: Frederick Steiner, dean of the university’s School of Architecture.
Sunday, Dec. 9
10 a.m. — McCombs School of Business (Ceremony includes undergraduate and master in professional accounting students.) Frank Erwin Center. Speaker: John H. Massey, senior consultant to Lehman Brothers and chairman of the Fund of Funds Investment Committee.
2:30 p.m. — College of Natural Sciences. (Ceremony includes graduate and undergraduate students.) Frank Erwin Center. Speaker: Sheldon Ekland-Olson, The Audre and Bernard Rapoport Centennial Professor of Liberal Arts, and professor of sociology at the university.
