2,130 students to take part in Dec. 12 commencement

A live webcast of both ceremonies as well as parking and traffic information
is online.

Nearly 2,130 Northern Arizona University seniors and graduate students will be conferred with their bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees at two ceremonies beginning at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Dec. 12 in the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome.

State Senator Tom O'halleran
State Sen. Tom O’Halleran

State Sen.Tom O’Halleran will speak at both ceremonies and will receive an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree.

NAU will be presenting 1,032 bachelor’s degrees, 1,078 master’s degrees and 20 doctoral degrees to fall graduates.

The ceremony for graduates from The W.A. Franke College of Business, the College of Engineering, Forestry and Natural Sciences, the College of Arts and Letters, the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and the Master of Administration program will begin at 10 a.m.

The ceremony for graduates of the College of Education and the College of Health and Human Services will begin at 3 p.m.

O’Halleran, known as a champion of higher education, is serving his second term as an Arizona state senator from District 1. Prior to serving as a senator, he served in the state Legislature for six years.

“Senator O’Halleran has called Northern Arizona University an ‘economic engine’ for the region, and his support for the university is critical,” said President John Haeger.

O’Halleran chairs the Higher Education Committee, is vice chair of the Health Committee and is a member of the K-12 Education Committee. He has won numerous awards, including the Arizona Student’s Association Legislator of the Year for 2007 and the Arizona School Board Association Legislator of the Year for 2002.