West Virginia University will honor approximately 1,500 August and December graduates at its annual convocation, scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 11, at 1:30 p.m. in the WVU Coliseum.

Laurie Ann Badzek, a professor and director of the Appalachian Quality of Life Institute in the West Virginia University School of Nursing at the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, will address graduates. She is also the director of the American Nurses Association Center for Ethics and Human Rights in Silver Spring, Maryland.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to address the 2011 graduates, their guests and the University community,” Badzek said. “Our graduates join an elite group of only about 7 percent of the world population with a college degree. I am confident they will take their ability and enthusiasm out into West Virginia, our nation and our world to make it a better place.”

An active scholar, Badzek investigates ethical and legal health care issues. Her research in nursing ethics, family decision-making and end-of-life care has informed nurses and other health care providers and contributed to their understanding of advance care planning.

Her contributions to genomics and nursing practice have been integral to the development of the profession – from defining essential genetic/genomic competencies for all registered nurses to serving as principal investigator in the largest national study of nurses’ knowledge in genomics.

Professor Badzek is a graduate of the WVU School of Nursing and the WVU College of Law.

Information for graduates, guests
While not a formal commencement, the convocation honors those students who complete their degree requirements midyear.

The ceremony provides them with an opportunity to walk across the stage as their names are read, shake hands with WVU President Jim Clements and other administrators, and receive a letter of congratulations.

Diplomas will be mailed in January after grades are confirmed with the Office of the University Registrar.

A live webcast of the convocation will be available on the event Web site (http://decemberconvocation.wvu.edu). The link will be made available 15 minutes prior to the convocation start time. Users must have an updated version of the Flash plug-in to view the webcast.

All students participating in the ceremony are asked to register online at http://decemberconvocation.wvu.edu/registration. The deadline is Dec. 7. An estimated 700 students are expected to participate in this year’s event. August 2011 graduates have also been invited.

All degree candidates should wear caps, gowns and hoods, if appropriate. Official regalia are available at the WVU Bookstore, 304.293.7467.

Special seating is available for guests with physical limitations, as well as guests requiring the services of the interpreters on the platform. Call the Office of Disability Services at 304.293.6700 by noon on Dec. 9 to reserve special seating.

Free parking is available at the WVU Coliseum. Additional parking lots on the Evansdale Campus can be found here.

Some schools, colleges and departments host their own events surrounding December Convocation. These are listed at http://decemberconvocation.wvu.edu/, which will be updated with additional information as it becomes available.

At the same site, students and their families can find lodging information, directions and important links that will help them as they are making their plans.

Updates are also available on the WVU Graduation Facebook page.

Note: GradImages has been contracted to provide quality graduation photos for each student. Proofs will be e-mailed to graduates within 24 hours of the ceremony, and prints will be mailed in the days following the event. Check http://decemberconvocation.wvu.edu/ for ordering information.

-WVU-

td/11/30/11

CONTACT: Stephanie Ballard-Conrad, University Events
304.293.4674, Stephanie.Ballard-Conrad@mail.wvu.edu

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