FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: December 14, 2005
CONTACT: Scott Slemmons, scott.slemmons@ttu.edu
LUBBOCK – Almost 2,350 Texas Tech University students will receive diplomas during
commencement ceremonies at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Saturday (Dec. 17), in the United
Spirit Arena, 1701 Indiana Ave. The featured speaker at both ceremonies will be playwright
Arthur Kopit.
Kopit has written a number of plays, including Tony Award nominees "Indians" and "Wings,"
as well as "Road to Nirvana," "End of the World with Symposium to Follow," "Discovery
of America" and an original musical called "Tom Swift and the Secrets of the Universe."
His play "Indians" was adapted for the Robert Altman film "Buffalo Bill and the Indians,
or Sitting Bull's History Lesson" in 1967. He also wrote screenplays for "Hands of
a Stranger" and "Roswell." He is a member of the Dramatist Guild, the Writers Guild
of America and PEN.
The morning ceremony will include students in the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Education,
Engineering, Honors and Visual and Performing Arts. The afternoon observance includes
the Colleges of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Architecture, Human Sciences,
Mass Communications and the Rawls College of Business Administration.
The Texas Tech School of Law has scheduled its ceremony for 6 p.m. at the International
Cultural Center's auditorium, with a reception immediately following at the Law School.
The speaker will be Lee Ann Reno, a 1994 graduate of the Law School and the current
president of the Texas Young Lawyers Association. She is a partner in the firm of
Sprouse, Shrader and Smith in Amarillo. The class speaker will be Omar Villa of El
Paso.
Receptions for the colleges will follow their respective ceremonies. Reception locations
are: College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources in the rotunda of the
new Animal and Food Sciences Building, College of Architecture in the Architecture
Gallery's courtyard, College of Arts and Sciences in the lobby area of Holden Hall
Room 104, College of Business Administration in the Business Administration Building
Rotunda, College of Engineering in the dean's office suite of the Engineering Center,
College of Human Sciences in the El Centro lounge, College of Mass Communications
in Frazier Alumni Pavilion and College of Visual and Performing Arts in the Maegden
Theatre Lobby. The College of Education will hold a pinning ceremony at the Merket
Alumni Center at 6:30 p.m. Friday (Dec. 16).
Outstanding students will carry banners representing their respective colleges. Administrators
selected the banner bearers based on all-around achievement.
The banner bearers are: Desiree Ann Childs, a food science major from Lamesa, and
Guthry Lance Edwards, an agribusiness major from Earth, College of Agricultural Sciences
and Natural Resources; Joseph Allen Ross, an architecture major from Henrietta, College
of Architecture; Kathryn Celeste Harmonson, a biology major from Austin, College of
Arts and Sciences; Robert Arthur Pearce, a management information systems major from
Santa Anna, the Rawls College of Business Administration; Maria Emma Arias, a multidisciplinary
studies major from Lubbock, College of Education; Trae Matthew Blain, a mechanical
engineering major from Hereford, College of Engineering; Megan Blair Finney, a English
major from Amarillo at 9 a.m., and Arielle Jene Thompson, a accounting and finance
major from Lubbock, at 1:30 p.m., Honors College; Robin Kirk Sanders, a early childhood
major from Floydada, College of Human Sciences; Stacey Elizabeth O'Brien, a public
relations major from Claude, College of Mass Communications; and Chiyo Marie Wichman,
a theater arts major from Spring, College of Visual and Performing Arts.
Selected to carry the banner for the Graduate School are Jimmie Kay Morgan from Lubbock,
a doctor of philosophy student in curriculum and instruction in the College of Education,
at 9 a.m.; and Susan P. Rupp from Santa Fe, N.M., a doctor of philosophy student in
wildlife science in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, at
1:30 p.m.
Also recognized during commencement exercises will be bachelor’s degree candidates
with the highest grade-point averages in their respective colleges. In some cases,
the honoree also is among the previously mentioned banner bearers.
Highest ranking December graduates are:
Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources –Childs of Lamesa; Edwards of Earth; and
Jerod Wade Foster, an agricultural communications major from Paradise;
Architecture –Ross of Henrietta;
Arts and Sciences – Abbigail Horn Arellano, a psychology major from Floydada; Alice
Liang Hon, a psychology major from Lubbock; Amber Marie LeJeune, a biology major from
Roswell, N.M.; Ashley Dawn Patrick, a sociology major from Lubbock; Megan Shea Pratt,
a history major from Lakeville, Minn.; and Melody Lynn Van Marter, a communications
studies major from Amarillo;
Business Administration – Sam Hulin Hall, an accounting major from Houston; Pearce
of Santa Anna; and Arielle Jene Thompson, an accounting major from Lubbock;
Education –Arias of Lubbock;
Engineering –Blain of Hereford;
Human Sciences –Sanders of Floydada; and Janet Marie Kriger, a human development and
family studies major from San Antonio;
Mass Communications – Haley Elaine Burks, a journalism major from Big Spring; Lauren
Michelle Goode, a public relations major from Marble Falls; Emily Kay Harrison, a
photocommunications major from Lubbock; James Patrick Hodgins, an electronic media
and communications major from Needville; Carla Kay Holderbaum, an advertising major
from Denton; Erica Lynn Leake, an advertising major from Lubbock; Chelsi Nichole Lewis,
an advertising major from Flower Mound; Meagan Renee Lewis, a public relations major
from Fort Worth; Michael Patrick Merrell, an electronic media and communications major
from Odessa; O'Brien of Claude; Nathan Roy Pressler, an advertising major from Keller;
Jacquelyn Renee Schirard, a journalism major from League City; Tasha Ann Starkey,
a public relations major from Dumas; Connor Craig Threlkeld, a journalism major from
Carrollton; Leah Suzanne Vowels, an electric media and communications major from Weatherford;
and Jennifer Lindsey Walker, an advertising major from Lufkin;
Visual and Performing Arts – Maren Elaine Roberts, a music major from Lubbock.
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