West Virginia University Vice President for Student Affairs Ken Gray will address the University’s August and December graduates during a commencement ceremony on Dec. 20.
The ceremony begins at 3:30 p.m. inside the WVU Coliseum.
Unlike in past years when the ceremony was called convocation, this year’s is considered commencement, because it takes place after the completion of final exams.
“It is an honor to be the Commencement speaker for December graduation,” Gray said. “I look forward to congratulating the 2013 graduating class and extending to them best wishes for great success as they begin to pursue their dreams.”
Gray, a retired U.S. Army major general, has served as WVU’s vice president for student affairs for more than 16 years. Earlier this year, he announced his retirement effective with the appointment of his successor.
Gray is a 1969 graduate of the WVU College of Law, where he received his Juris Doctor degree and entered into active duty in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He is the first and only African-American general officer in the history of the Army JAG Corps since its creation in 1775.
Click below to hear the WVUToday radio spot on December graduation.
Earlier this month, The National Bar Association named a new and distinguished award Gray’s honor called The Major General Kenneth D. Gray Excellence in Jurisprudence Award.
Information or graduates, guests
Students and faculty planning to participate must register at http://graduation.wvu.edu/convocation by Dec. 6.
Graduates participating in Commencement are required to wear caps and gowns, which may be purchased from the WVU Bookstore. Latin honor cords are distributed by the schools and colleges prior to the ceremony.
Doctoral candidates will be hooded and may elect to have one faculty member attend with them to take part in this presentation.
Military honor cords may be obtained by service members who show proof of service at the WVU Veterans Office on the second floor of the Mountainlair. Graduating military personnel who choose to wear full military dress during Commencement exercises are still welcome to pick up cords as a keepsake from the University as a tribute to their service.
To arrange accommodations for graduates or guests with disabilities, contact WVU’s Office of Accessibility Services at http://accessibilityservices.wvu.edu/.
Ceremonies will be streamed live at http://webcast.wvu.edu/ and will last approximately two hours.
Free parking is available at the Coliseum. Additional parking information can be found on the WVU Campus Map at http://beta.campusmap.wvu.edu/.
The University reminds graduates that participation in Commencement exercises does not guarantee the completion of a WVU degree. Diplomas will be mailed after all grades are finalized and certified by WVU’s Office of the University Registrar.
If you have questions, please contact WVU’s Office of University Events at graduation@mail.wvu.edu or 304-293-7132. Updates are also available at http://graduation.wvu.edu, on the WVU Graduation Facebook page and by following #wvugrad on Twitter.
-WVU-
td/11/18/13
CONTACT: Liz Dickinson, Office of University Events
304.293.7132, graduation@mail.wvu.edu
Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.