News release prepared by: Emily Vietti, 785-532-2535, evietti@k-state.edu

Monday, Dec. 6, 2010

MORE THAN 1,275 STUDENTS TO GRADUATE DEC. 10 AND 11

MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University's fall commencement ceremonies will be Friday, Dec. 10, and Saturday, Dec. 11, on the K-State campuses in Manhattan and Salina. More than 1,275 students are candidates for graduation.

To be awarded will be nearly 1,000 bachelor's degrees, more than 225 master's degrees, about 50 doctoral degrees and more than 10 associate degrees. Nearly 40 students will receive multiple degrees, and around 115 students have earned their degrees through K-State distance education programs.

Commencement ceremonies Dec. 10 include the Graduate School at 1 p.m. in Bramlage Coliseum. Walter Dodds, university distinguished professor of biology, will be the commencement speaker. Commencement for K-State Salina will be at 7 p.m. in the college's Student Life Center. Erv Siemoneit, Walgreens Dallas market vice president, will be the speaker.

Ceremonies Dec. 11 will all be on the Manhattan campus. The schedule and speakers include:

* College of Arts and Sciences, 9 a.m., Bramlage Coliseum, with Dean Zollman, university distinguished professor and head of the department of physics, as speaker.

* College of Human Ecology, 9 a.m., McCain Auditorium, with speakers Mary Ice, member of the Human Ecology alumni board, and Carl R. Ice, president and chief operating officer for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad Company.

* College of Education, 10:30 a.m., Bramlage Coliseum, with Angela Messer, Junction City Middle School assistant principal, as speaker.

* College of Business Administration, noon, Bramlage Coliseum, with April Mason, K-State provost and senior vice president, as speaker.

* College of Agriculture, 1:30 p.m., Bramlage Coliseum, with speaker Kim Williams, K-State professor of horticulture, forestry and recreation resources.

* College of Engineering, 3 p.m., Bramlage Coliseum, with speaker Carl R. Ice, president and chief operating officer for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad Company.

For the first time, each commencement ceremony will be streamed live online at http://www.k-state.edu/graduation/.

DVDs of the ceremonies may be ordered through the K-State Student Union Bookstore at 800-KSU-CATS or 785-532-6583. The DVDs are $19.99.

A virtual commencement ceremony is available for distance education students at http://www.dce.k-state.edu/students/commencement/.

Commencement ceremonies can be seen Dec. 14-16 on K-State TV, channel 8 on campus and on Cox Cable in Manhattan and Junction City. Playbacks will begin at the following start times unless the preceding ceremony lasts longer than the time estimated:

* Tuesday, Dec. 14: Graduate School, 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.; College of Arts and Sciences, 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.; College of Education, 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.; and College of Business Administration, 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

* Wednesday, Dec. 15: College of Agriculture, 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.; College of Engineering, 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.; College of Human Ecology, 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.; and College of Education, 12:30 p.m.

* Thursday, Dec. 16: College of Arts and Sciences, 10 a.m.; College of Human Ecology, 11:30 a.m.; College of Business Administration, 1 p.m.; College of Agriculture, 2:30 p.m.; Graduate School, 4 p.m.; and College of Engineering, 5:30 p.m.

Also happening commencement weekend are commissioning ceremonies for K-State's Army and Air Force ROTC units. Both ceremonies will be Dec. 10 in the K-State Student Union's Forum Hall. The Army ceremony will be at 10 a.m., while the Air Force ceremony will be at 2 p.m.