Northwest Missouri State University celebrates its 2017 spring graduates Friday, April 28, and Saturday, April 29.
The commencement ceremonies begin at 7 p.m. Friday in Bearcat Arena when Northwest confers master’s and education specialist degrees and recognizes candidates for its doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis with the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Dr. Tiebing Shi, an assistant professor of marketing at Northwest, will address the Friday evening ceremony.
The University will honor bachelor’s degree candidates from the Melvin D. and Valorie G. Booth School of Business and Professional Studies, the School of Education, the School of Communication and Mass Media, and the School of Computer Science and Information Systems at 10 a.m. Saturday in Bearcat Arena. Bachelor’s degree candidates from the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Agricultural Sciences, and the School of Health Science and Wellness will be honored at 2 p.m. Saturday in Bearcat Arena. Karen Daniel, the chief financial officer for Black & Veatch and a 1980 Northwest alumna, will address both Saturday ceremonies.
“Our spring commencement ceremonies are a celebration of our students’ achievements, and we are so pleased to have two distinguished Bearcats – in Tiebing and Karen – joining us to share their experiences and wisdom,” Northwest President Dr. John Jasinski said. “Tiebing knows innovation and creativity and understands the need for continued evolution in his instruction to meet changing learning styles. Karen is a champion of education and Northwest Missouri State. She is a widely known and respected business management expert and a passionate Bearcat. Both will connect with our graduates given their diverse profession-based experiences and perspectives.”
Northwest expects nearly 900 students to receive degrees this spring. The University reports 233 students will receive master’s or specialist degrees through the University’s graduate school, and 661 undergraduate students are expected to receive bachelor’s degrees.
Doors will open to guests one hour prior to each ceremony. No tickets are necessary to attend the ceremonies. To accommodate guests who cannot attend, Northwest will offer a live online stream of the ceremonies at www.nwmissouri.edu/live.
Graduates along with their families and friends also are invited to interact with Northwest social media before, during and after the commencement ceremonies. Users may share their graduation memories on Twitter by using the hashtag #NWGrad, or submit graduation photos to Northwest’s Flickr feed. Photos may be taken with mobile devices and emailed to [email protected]. Submitted photos will appear immediately on Northwest’s Flickr page at www.flickr.com/nwmostate/.
Candidates for graduation may pick up caps and gowns on the first floor of the Administration Building from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, April 24, through Friday, April 28, or one hour prior to each ceremony on April 28 and April 29.