EIU Media Relations

EIU Fall Commencement Ceremonies Set for Saturday, Dec. 20

More than 500 graduates plan to participate in Eastern Illinois University's Fall 2014 commencement ceremonies, scheduled to take place Saturday, Dec. 20, in Lantz Arena.

Ceremonies will take place at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.  Guest tickets are required for admission.

Students from the Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences and the College of Arts and Humanities will march in the morning ceremony, while students from the College of Education and Professional Studies, the College of Sciences and the School of Continuing Education (Bachelor of Arts in General Studies Degree) will march in the afternoon.  Students enrolled in the Graduate School will march with their respective colleges.

President William L. Perry will both preside and present the “Charge to the Class” during both ceremonies.  Music will be provided by the EIU Wind Symphony.

Representing Eastern's Board of Trustees will be Rene Hutchinson of Chicago at 10 a.m. and Kristopher M. Goetz of Lombard at 1 p.m.

Traditionally, a commencement marshal leads the commencement procession while carrying the university mace, a symbol of honor accorded a faculty member.  The commencement marshal for the 10 a.m. ceremony will be Robert E. Colombo, who, as an associate professor of biological sciences, will represent the Graduate School.  Representing the School of Continuing Education at 1 p.m. will be Linda D. Simpson, chair of Eastern’s School of Family and Consumer Sciences.

An EIU tradition also allows faculty members the honor of carrying the college banner for his/her college during the procession.

This semester’s faculty marshals for the morning ceremony are Luke Steinke, associate professor, School of Technology, representing the Graduate School and the Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences; Kathleen O’Rourke, professor, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, representing the LCBAS; Andrew Cheetham, assistant professor, music, representing the Graduate School and the College of Arts and Humanities; and Terry Barnhart, professor, history, representing the CAH.

This year's faculty marshals for the afternoon ceremony are Nick Osborne, professor, educational leadership, representing the Graduate School and the College of Education and Professional Studies; Kiranmayi Padmaraju, associate professor, early childhood, elementary and middle level education, representing the CEPS; Peter Wiles, associate professor, mathematics and computer science, representing the Graduate School and the College of Sciences; William Addison, professor, psychology, representing the COS; and Anita Sego, instructor, health studies, representing the School of Continuing Education.

Shirmeen Ahmad, a journalism major from Romeoville, will serve as the Pine Honors College banner marshal during both ceremonies.

Additionally, Rebecca Throneburg, who was selected as EIU’s 2014 Luis Clay Mendez Distinguished Service Award recipient for her contributions to the university, the field of communication disorders and sciences, and the community, will be formally recognized.  The award honors the memory of Mendez, an EIU professor of Spanish who died in 2003.