Students to be Honored During Fall 2009 Commencement

More than 2,000 students will receive diplomas during Texas Tech commencement exercises Dec. 18 and 19.

Texas Tech’s Graduate School will hold its commencement ceremony at 4 p.m. Friday (Dec. 18) in the United Spirit Arena, 1701 Indiana Ave., in Lubbock. The ceremony is free and open to the public; parking also is free.

Undergraduate commencement ceremonies are scheduled for 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 19), in the United Spirit Arena.

The morning ceremony includes students in the Colleges of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Human Sciences, Visual and Performing Arts, the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering and the Rawls College of Business.

The afternoon observance includes the Colleges of Architecture, Arts and Sciences, Mass Communications, Education, the Honors College and students graduating with a Bachelors of University Studies.

The Texas Tech School of Law hooding ceremony is at 5 p.m. Saturday in the Student Union Building’s Allen Theater. The speaker is Glenn West, class of 1978, who is a partner at Weil Gotshal and Manges in Dallas. He is a 2008 distinguished alumnus of the Law School.

• For more graduation information visit the Texas Tech University Commencement Web site.
• Watch the graduation ceremony online.

Commencement Speaker–Chancellor Kent Hance

Texas Tech University System Chancellor Kent Hance will speak at the ceremony.

As chancellor, Hance is the chief executive officer of the 12 campuses of Texas Tech University, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and Angelo State University. He is focusing his energies on continuing the quality growth, enhancing the research in areas of excellence and accentuating the programs and opportunities that prepare students for success in life. Foremost on the agenda is fund-raising for scholarships, professorships and endowments as well as capital contributions. The chancellor also works in Austin and Washington, D.C. to enhance funding for all institutions.

Banner Bearers

Outstanding students will carry banners representing their respective colleges. Administrators selected the banner bearers based on all-around achievement.The banner bearers are:

• Kristen Farrington Hillger, agricultural and applied economics, San Antonio, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
• Micah Ross Henry, architecture, Midland, College of Architecture
• Darci Dianne Barney, microbiology and mathematics, Lubbock, College of Arts and Sciences
• Leslee Dayne Schneider, multidisciplinary studies, Bosque Farms, N.M., College of Education
• Amanda Rae Gordon, mechanical engineering, San Antonio, Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering
• Katy L. Taylor, nutritional science, Midland (morning ceremony), and Kelly O’Neill, political science, Dallas (afternoon ceremony), Honors College
• Holly Leigh Erica Lambert, human development and family studies, Amarillo, College of Human Sciences
• Ashley Nicole Hoptay, public relations/business, Plano, College of Mass Communications
• Katy Wright, honors studies, Colleyville, College of Outreach and Distance Education
• Alyssa Kelly Boren, international business/Spanish minor, Amarillo, Rawls College of Business
• Kristen Margaret Briggs, general studies, Lubbock, College of Visual and Performing Arts

Selected to carry the banner for the Graduate School is Robert C. Schaller from Lubbock, who this semester receives his doctorate of philosophy in Mass Communications.

Highest Ranking December Graduates for each College

Also recognized during commencement exercises will be bachelor’s degree candidates with the highest grade-point-averages in their respective colleges. Highest ranking December graduates for each college are:
• Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources: Hillger
• Architecture: Henry
• Arts and Sciences: Juliet Yassamin Azarani, political science, Lake Dallas; Michael Benjamin Henderson, social work, Lubbock; Ruiyang Jiang, biochemistry, Tianjin, China; Bonnie Jean Krejci, English, Denton; and Tiffany Nicole Parrish, psychology and sociology, Largo Vista
• Education: Schneider
• Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering: Gordon
• Human Sciences: Lambert, and Christopher Grady McLain, human development and family studies, Vernon
• Mass Communications: Hoptay; Jessica Elaine Benham, public relations, San Angelo; and Elizabeth Dean Elliott, journalism, Temple
• Rawls College of Business: Boren; Hoptay; Ashley D. Ahlgren, accounting, Richland, Wash.; Benjamin Bahlmann, accounting, Houston; Erin D’Ann Dipprey, accounting, Hale Center; Andrew Thomas Silverthorn, accounting, El Paso; Brant E. Wischnewsky, accounting/music minor, Tomball; and James A. Davis, management, Cypress
• Outreach and Distance Education: Wright
• Visual and Performing Arts: Briggs