About 3,800 students will receive diplomas May 16 from the University of Colorado at Boulder in outdoor commencement exercises in Folsom Stadium.
Of the diplomas to be presented, about 2,700 will be for bachelors degrees, 700 for masters degrees and 400 for doctorates. Forty-eight students will earn two diplomas and about 356 will receive their degrees with honors.
The stadium ceremonies will begin at 9:30 a.m. following the traditional procession of faculty and students from Norlin Quadrangle at 9 a.m., led by Dean of Libraries James Williams, the commencement marshal.
President John Buechner will give welcoming remarks and Interim Chancellor Richard Byyny, will give the commencement address. Other brief talks will be by representatives of the Boulder Faculty Assembly, the University of Colorado Student Union and the Alumni Association.
The exercises will be in Folsom Stadium regardless of the weather. Graduating students and guests are asked to check the morning forecast and prepare accordingly. If it does rain, the procession will be canceled and the ceremony abbreviated. The program is expected to end before 11:30 a.m.
Honorary degrees will be awarded to KCNC-Channel 4 newscaster Bob Palmer and Coors Brewing Co. President William Coors. Each will receive a Doctor of Humane Letters.
The Chancellors Recognition Award for students receiving all As in their college careers will be given to Shawn Timothy Stone of Monument, who will receive a bachelors degree in electrical and computer engineering. Stone, a graduate of Rampart High School in Colorado Springs, also has been named Outstanding Graduate of the College of Engineering and Applied Science.
The outstanding graduates named by their schools and colleges are Joseph Nathan Geiger of Moscow, Idaho, bachelors in environmental design (Architecture and Planning); Katherine Ann Potter of Rifle, bachelors of fine arts in theater and bachelors in English (Arts and Sciences) and Brook Elaine DeHaro of Greenwood Village, bachelors in finance (Business and Administration).
Also named as outstanding graduates are Clark David Dollard of Solana Beach, Calif., bachelors in mathematics (Education); Shawn Timothy Stone of Monument, bachelors in electrical and computer engineering (Engineering and Applied Science); Ann Marion Hill of Eagle, bachelors in journalism (Journalism and Mass Communication) and Emily Anne Bowman of Eldorado Springs, bachelors in music (Music).
Students will enter the stadium from the south at gates one through six and sit in the horseshoe end. Guests should plan to be seated by 9:15 a.m. because the south gates will be closed before the processional. About 20,000 visitors and graduates are expected to attend.
Processional and recessional music by the University Commencement Band will be conducted by Thomas Caneva, associate director of bands. The vocalist will be Alice Dawson, who is receiving a bachelors in music degree during the ceremony.
Commencement carillonneur Aaron Nee will perform music on the bells from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. To close the commencement program Buechner will give the traditional Norlin Charge to Graduates. The words were spoken originally by President George Norlin to the graduating class of 1935.