UA Media Advisory: UA’s Spring Commencement Exercises

UA’S SPRING COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES

Saturday, May 13, 2006

Morning Ceremony: 9 a.m.

Afternoon Ceremony: 1 p.m.

Law School Ceremony: 5 p.m.

Coleman Coliseum

Morning Ceremony: (bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D.): The Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration, and Colleges of Communication and Information Sciences, Education, and Nursing

Afternoon Ceremony: (bachelor’s, master’s, educational specialists, Ph.D. and Ed.D): Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Human Environmental Sciences, and the School of Social Work

UA TO BROADCAST COMMENCEMENT LIVE VIA INTERNET – UA will broadcast its commencement ceremonies live over the Internet on May 13. Both the 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. ceremonies will be available. Those who wish to view the ceremonies on the Internet can go to the main UA web page at http://www.ua.edu/ to find the Webcast link. The Webcast will require the free Windows Media Player and a broadband connection. The webcast will be archived on UA’s website and will be available for viewing until May 30.

MAIN CEREMONIES SPEAKER — Dr. John Blackburn, long-time UA administrator Blackburn will also receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters. Blackburn began his career at UA in 1956, and he became Dean of Men in 1958. In 1963, his dedication to progress and meticulous planning were credited as key elements in the historic peaceful integration of African-Americans into the Capstone. In 1978 he was named vice president for educational development. Over the next 12 years, he helped to raise more than $30 million dollars for the Capstone. The Blackburn Institute is named for him, and he is responsible for the creation of Mallet Hall. Retired from the University, Blackburn is now a higher education consultant based in Tuscaloosa.

SCHOOL OF LAW SPEAKER: U.S. Rep. Spencer Bacchus of Alabama

NOTEWORTHY/INSPIRING GRADUATES

JOEL E. BROWN JR: 80-year-old receives degree 62 years after enrolling at UA — Since 1944, Joel Brown has had some unfinished business with UA – earning his college degree. He left UA near that time to get married and went to work for the Montgomery city government as an assistant comptroller. Three years ago, Brown discovered UA’s external degree program and decided to complete his college education. On May 13, Brown will get that degree! Brown can be reached at 334/271-6514.

LINDA AND AMY DANIEL: Mother/Daughter Receive Degrees Together — For the past 10 years UA employee Linda Daniel has slowly been working toward her master’s degree in health education. However, she sped up that process when her daughter, Amy, enrolled at UA, and they both realized they could graduate together. So, come May 13 they will get those degrees, a day before Mother’s Day. Amy will receive her master’s degree in social work. Linda said she might consider graduate school, but presently she is helping Amy plan a June wedding. Linda can be reached at 205/348-5360 or ldaniel@sa.ua.edu

THREE MAJORS & THREE MINORS — Getting the most of out your education could hardly describe UA May grad Rachel Duncan of Pelham, one of the top students in the College of Arts and Sciences who is graduating with three majors — English, classics and biology — and three minors — Computer-Based Honors Program, Blount Undergraduate Initiative and history. A 2006 UA Premier Award winner, Duncan has also found time for volunteer work in keyboarding class notes for a deaf student and developing an application to teach health-related Spanish phrases to health professionals. She also serves as a College of Arts and Sciences Ambassador and a Blackburn Institute student fellow. Contact her at Rachel.duncan@gmail.com, 205/516-1047, or via Linda Hill in media relations, 205/348-8325, lhill@ur.ua.edu.

IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE? YES, THREE IN THIS FAMILY – May grad Shermeen B. Memon of Tuscaloosa will be the leaving the Capstone with a degree in biology and a perfect 4.0 GPA on her way to the UA School of Medicine. Memon is the third of three children in this Tuscaloosa family to be one of the top students in their graduating class and to pursue a career in medicine. Memon’s brother and sister are now doctors, and all three siblings excelled at the Capstone. Already her scientific research in the areas of gene therapy, ionic liquids research and the effects of certain soil-borne bacteria on Parkinson’s Disease has brought her scholarly notice and the Undergraduate Research Award. She has volunteered time to promote health literacy in Alabama’s Black Belt and helped raise more than $10,000 for victims of the recent Pakistan earthquake. Contact her at memon003@bama.ua.edu, 205/345-6071, 205/886-4088, or Linda Hill in media relations at 205/348-8325, lhill@ur.ua.edu.

RUSSELL BLEDSOE: Army Officer first graduate of UA’s eArmyU Program. Army Staff Sgt. Russell Bledsoe, a native of Cullman, had always dreamed of having a degree from UA but thought it would have to wait until after retirement. Now, thanks to UA’s participation in the U.S. Army’s eArmyU program, Bledsoe has earned his degree without ever setting foot on campus. eArmyU is an Army education initiative designed to offer eligible enlisted soldiers the opportunity to work toward a college degree or certificate anytime, anywhere. Bledsoe, a 15-year veteran currently stationed at Fort Drum, N.Y.., will be on campus May 13 to receive his degree. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” said Bledsoe. He can be reached at 315/783-7454 or bleds002@bama.ua.edu

JAMAL OBID: PAIN AT THE PUMP SIGNIFIES GREAT JOB MARKET FOR GEOLOGISTS – Paying nearly $3 per gallon of gas is not something Jamal Obid enjoys, but this UA doctorial degree candidate also knows the price spike plays a role in the legendary boon to bust swings of the oil industry. And that swing is headed in the best direction for those who, like Obid, are poised to graduate and enter their chosen profession…oil exploration. Obid, who is scheduled to earn his doctorate in geology, plans to soon move to Houston to begin working in oil exploration as a geoscientist for Occidental Oil and Gas. Job offers for petroleum geologists are plentiful and salaries are plump. Dr. Harold Stowell, professor and chair of UA’s geological sciences department, said the latest hiring flurry has some distinctions from previous “hot” hiring cycles. “My own view is we’re not only in one of our cycles, we’re also reaching a point where the resources are so limited and the number of remaining oil and gas fields is so small, we’re going to need more and more people to find smaller and smaller resources,” Stowell said. Obid may be reached at 205/348-5095 or obid001@bama.ua.edu. For assistance, contact Chris Bryant in media relations, 205/348-8323 or cbryant@ur.ua.edu. See the link http://uanews.ua.edu/anews2006/may06/oil050306.htm for more details.

USA TODAY ALL-USA ACADEMIC MEMBERS INCLUDED IN CLASS OF 2006:

(NOTE: These students can be reached via Cathy Andreen, UA director of media relations, 205/348-5320 or candreen@ur.ua.edu)

Cody Locke, Boaz (Bachelor’s Degree in Biology, First Team, USA Today All USA College Academic Team – Named to the USA Today All-USA College Academic Second Team in 2004 and 2005, Locke researches the molecular basis for epilepsy. He has been the lead author of research presented at two major scientific conferences: the American Society for Cell Biology’s annual meeting, the world’s largest conference in the cellular biology field, in 2004; and the Biennial International C. elegans Research Conference, the premier conference on the world’s most studied animal model for understanding human biology, in 2005.

Matthew Fitzgerald, Bay Minette (Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering) Third Team Member, USA Today All USA College Academic Team — Fitzgerald has built and designed a car, a robot and a rocket, all while a student at UA. As a research intern at the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, he researched advanced propulsion concepts, specifically plasma propulsion, and constructed a large-scale test platform for thrust diagnostics. Fitzgerald also has worked on a project with three UA faculty members to investigate the safety of hydrogen fuel cells to explore how fuel cells act in an automobile accident.

Taylor Nichols, Northport (Bachelor’s degree in economics) Honorable Mention, 2006 USA Today All USA College Academic Team — While discussing Alabama politics with a fellow UA student studying at Oxford University, Nichols deduced that there was no event where future policymakers could discuss Alabama issues without outside influence. He created the Alabama Collegiate Summit as a forum for a new generation of leaders to discuss their ideas and opinions on how to solve problems that face the state of Alabama. Eighteen universities sent about 120 students to the conference, where the participants were divided into commissions and wrote policy proposals that were given to the Alabama legislature and governor for review.