Nine Commencement Ceremonies
at UC San Diego to Honor 6,000
Graduates in June 21, 22, 23 Rites
June 12, 2008
Pat JaCoby
One of the world’s leading genomic researchers…a member of the “Little Rock Nine” who desegregated Little Rock High School…and a co-founder of the world’s leading supplier of excimer light sources are among speakers who will address nearly 6,000 graduates at nine ceremonies on the University of California, San Diego campus June 21, 22 and 23.
Some 40,000 parents and family members are expected to be on hand for the rites, scheduled a week later than the traditional mid-June weekend commencements because of the intervening U.S. Open on nearby Torrey Pines Golf Course.
Muir College will be the first to present diplomas to some 900 graduates in an 8 a.m. ceremony June 21 on RIMAC Field, with approximately 9,000 family members expected to attend. Natalie Spritzer of Encinitas, a major in Third World Studies, will continue Muir’s long tradition of student speakers at commencement ceremonies. She has elected to speak on “The Millennial’s Challenge—utilizing the knowledge gained at UCSD without losing sight of our responsibility to humanity, nature and our planet.”
The Graduate School of International Relations/Pacific Studies is scheduled to hold ceremonies for 82 graduates on the IR/PS site at 10:30 a.m. June 21, with Irwin Mark Jacobs, co-founder and chairman of the board of directors of Qualcomm Inc., as guest speaker. His topic is “The Revolution in Telecommunications Worldwide: Opportunities and Challenges.”
Terrence Roberts, co-chair of the Department of Master of Arts in Psychology at Antioch University of Los Angeles, will address the 950 graduates of Thurgood Marshall College at a 1 p.m. ceremony on RIMAC Field. Roberts made history as a member of the Little Rock Nine, the nine African-American students who desegregated Little Rock Central High School in 1957. Some 7,500 family members are expected to attend the graduation.
Rounding out June 21 commencements will be the 5 p.m. ceremony for 500 graduates of Sixth College on RIMAC Field. Naomi Oreskes, UCSD professor of history who has been appointed Sixth College Provost, effective July 1, will give the guest address. Oreskes’ work, cited in the film, “An Inconvenient Truth,” deals with the science of climate change, specifically on the reception of the scientific consensus on global warming.
The Sunday June 22 commencements will begin at 8 a.m. with 10,000 family members expected to see 1,120 graduates of Warren College receive their diplomas. J. Craig Venter, who received his Ph.D. from UCSD in 1975, will give the graduation address on RIMAC Field. Venter is regarded as one of the leading scientists of the 21st century for his contributions to genomic research and continues to blaze new trails in the field of genomics.
At 10:30 a.m. in the RIMAC Arena, the Office of Graduate Studies will present master’s and doctoral degrees to 896 graduates. Robert P. Akins, who received a doctorate in applied physics from UCSD in 1983, will present the commencement address. Akins was one of the co-founders of Cymer, the world’s leading supplier of excimer light sources which are essential to today’s semiconductor marketplace.
Some 700 graduates of Eleanor Roosevelt College will convene at 1 p.m. on RIMAC Field to hear an address by Steven Cassedy, UCSD professor of Slavic and Comparative Literature and associate dean of Graduate Studies. Cassedy’s talk is entitled “Here’s Some Sage Advice—from You to Me.”
The June 22 commencements will end at 5 p.m. with diplomas handed to 776 graduates of Revelle College. Amanda Roberts, Psychology Department lecturer, will offer remarks. Graduating seniors Hala Hadawar, General Biology, and Neal Tambe, Bioengineering, have been selected as student speakers. Some 6,500 family members are expected to attend the ceremony on RIMAC Field.
The last of UC San Diego’s graduations will be held at 10 a.m. June 23 for 57 members of the Rady School of Management’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2008. Charles Brandes, founder of the leading investment advisory firm, Brandes Investment Partners, will speak on “Calculated Risk and Intelligent Perseverance” in Otterson Hall. Brandes and his wife founded The Tanya and Charles Brandes Fundation in support of arts, science, education and community leadership.
Previously, UC San Diego Health Sciences held two commencement ceremonies during which 32 students graduated from the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences May 31, and 126 men and women received their M.D. degrees in School of Medicine ceremonies June 1.
Media Contact: Pat JaCoby, 858-534-7404
