By Rachel Morse, Staff Writer
Photo: Gov. Mary Fallin, rcbbank.com
The search for the spring 2012 undergraduate commencement speaker is complete.
The president’s office recently announced that Gov. Mary Fallin will speak, said Diana Silver, academic services specialist. Officials from Gov. Fallin’s office confirmed the offer March 12 with school officials.
“Gov. Fallin is one of the big tenets of what we do here,” Silver said. “I imagine Gov. Fallin will offer perspectives and be an inspiring example for students as they go out into their professional lives.”
President Robert Henry extended an invitation to the governor, Silver said.
Henry wrote to Gov. Fallin about how the governor’s accomplishments align with the university’s mission of service and that her appearance would “be an inspiration to the graduates of 2012.”
Katie Stevenson, dance management senior, said, although she was disappointed to hear alumna Kristin Chenoweth would not be the speaker, she thinks Gov. Fallin will offer encouragement and sound advice to the class of 2012.
“It’s not what we expected, but what she has accomplished in only a short amount of time in office is inspiring to me,” she said. “Having a speaker like that and having that much credibility to her name will be beneficial to us.”
Fallin is volunteering her time for this service and will not be paid, Silver said. It is a trend for university speakers to not receive payment.
The speaker for graduate ceremony will be Paula Dalley, professor of law and the recipient of the Outstanding Faculty of the Year Award, Silver said. The recipient of the award spoke in the past for the graduate commencement ceremony.
The undergraduate ceremony will be at 11 a.m. and the graduate ceremony at 3 p.m. May 5 in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center.
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