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UA alumna and golf legend Annika Sorenstam will be the Commencement speaker.

By University Communications
December 1, 2008

The University of Arizona's 139th Commencement Ceremony will be held Dec. 20 at 9:30 a.m. at McKale Memorial Center.

UA President Robert N. Shelton will confer degrees upon 1,893 undergraduate, 784 masters/specialist and 347 doctoral students.

In addition, Shelton will confer five masters of law degrees in International Trade Law and four juris doctorate degrees upon students from the James E. Rogers College of Law.

One doctor of pharmacy degree will be conferred from the College of Pharmacy and two doctors of audiology degrees will be conferred from the College of Medicine.

Commencement is a formal celebration of academic achievement, as such, students must wear their cap and gown in order to be allowed onto the ceremony floor and must conduct themselves in a professional manner throughout the ceremony. No tickets are needed to attend the formal event, which is open to friends and family members of the graduating students.

The academic procession into McKale begins at 9 a.m. Undergraduate and professional degree (medicine and pharmacy) students must assemble with others from their college or department at Bear Down Gym by 8:30 a.m. Graduate students must assemble on the north side of the Main Library, also by 8:30 a.m.

UA alumna and golfing legend Annika Sorenstam is the commencement speaker. Sorenstam arrived at the UA as an undergraduate student in the fall of 1990 and played on the UA women's golf team until 1992. During that time, Sorenstam won seven NCAA titles and was the first freshman to win the individual NCAA Championship.

Since her time at the UA, Sorenstam has become the most dominant player in women's golf, rewriting the Ladies' Professional Golf Association and Ladies' European Tour record books. She has won countless LPGA awards and events and has brought unprecedented attention to women's golf, including capturing a career Grand Slam and becoming the all-time LPGA earnings leader.

Each individual college also hosts a separate celebration for its graduates in the days before commencement. For more information on each college ceremony visit the Commencement Web site. 

Awards

The Centennial Achievement Awards and Distinguished Faculty Outreach Professor Awards will be presented during the December Commencement Ceremony.

Centennial Achievement Awards were established in December 1984 by the UA Division of Student Affairs. These awards recognize students who will graduate within the academic year and who have demonstrated integrity, have overcome enormous challenges to achieve a college education and have made a contribution to self, community and family.

One male and one female undergraduate, masters and doctoral student for a total of six awardees will be honored with Centennial Achievement Awards during the Dec. ceremony.

The Centennial Achievement Undergraduate Awards will be presented to honors students Joel Alexis Greer and Danielle Myers. Greer, who will be receiving a bachelor of science in business administration, and Myers, a bachelor of arts student, will be recognized.

The Centennial Achievement Graduate Student Awards will be presented to Gazelle Samizay and Omar A. Contreras. Samizay is working on a master in fine arts and Contreras on a master in public health.

The Centennial Achievement Graduate Student Awards also will be presented to Anthony Hutchinson and Rebecca Covarrubias. Hutchinson is working on a doctor in philosophy in neuroscience and Covarrubias, an honors student as an undergraduate, is working on a doctor of philosophy in psychology.

The two Distinguished Faculty Outreach Professor Awards will be presented to Russell Tronstad and Diane E. Austin.

Tronstad is a professor of agricultural/resource economics at the UA. He has focused his work on creating educational programs that empower individuals and communities to make better decision to improve their quality of life.

He has made substantial contributions to the study of livestock, cotton, direct farm marketing, agri-tourism and agricultural trade with Mexico. 

Austin earns the award for her contributions to outstanding teaching and research that directly benefits local, national and international communities. She is an associate professor of anthropology at the UA and has collaborated with Native American and Mexican communities in the Southwest on natural resources management issues.

Additional details about Winter Commencement can be found at the Commencement Web site.