For the sixth consecutive year, Marshall will conduct two commencement ceremonies on the same day. The 9 a.m. ceremony is for bachelor’s and associate degree candidates, and a 2 p.m. ceremony the same day is for master’s and doctoral degree candidates.
Among the 1,621 students receiving degrees are 938 undergraduates, 505 graduate students, 65 from the School of Pharmacy, 75 students from the School of Medicine, and 38 from the School of Physical Therapy.
Marshall Registrar Dr. Sonja Cantrell said 399 undergraduate students will graduate with honors. 74 will graduate summa cum laude (3.85 to 4.0 GPA), 123 magna cum laude (3.6 to 3.84 GPA) and 190 cum laude (3.3 to 3.59 GPA). 12 students receiving associate degrees will graduate with honors.
Marshall President Jerome Gilbert will preside at both ceremonies.
The commencement address at the 9 a.m. ceremony will be given by Marshall alumnus J. Mark McVey, who is well known as a singer and actor on Broadway, particularly as Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables.” He also performs with numerous symphonies in the U.S. and around the world, and has appeared on television many times.
Twenty one students will graduate with tentative 4.0 grade point averages. They are:
- Kristen Lee Baisden of Chapmanville, West Virginia, Health Professions, B.S., Medical Imaging
- Emma Jane Bauer of Huntington, West Virginia, Liberal Arts, B.A., Psychology
- Kelsey Nicole Billups of Letart, West Virginia, Science, B.S., Digital Forensics
- Heidi Ruth Dennison of Canvas, West Virginia, Health Professions, B.S., Communication Disorders
- Elizabeth Keenen Hance of West Liberty, Ohio, Science, B.S., Applied Mathematics
- Amanda Lynn Harvey of Lizemores, West Virginia, Education, B.A., Secondary Education and French
- Samantha M. Holiskey of Bunker Hill, West Virginia, Liberal Arts, B.A., Political Science and English
- Casey Marie Hudock of Dublin, Ohio, Health Professions, B.S., Exercise Science
- Hailey Leigh Hughes of Parkersburg, West Virginia, Liberal Arts, B.A., Creative Writing
- Zachary Dean Jones of Ashland, KY, Science, B.S., Applied Mathematics and Information Technology and Engineering, B.S., Computer Science
- Shefali Khanna of Barboursville, West Virginia, Science, B.S., Biological Sciences
- Brian James Leonard of Huntington, West Virginia, Liberal Arts, B.A., Communication Studies and Spanish
- Sophia Diana Mills of Proctorville, Ohio, Liberal Arts, B.A., Political Science
- Brandon Nicholas Murdock of Oak Hill, West Virginia, Science, B.S., Biochemistry
- Mallory P. Newsome of Wheelersburg, Ohio, Health Professions B.S., Communication Disorders
- Jennifer Anne Niemann of Huntington, West Virginia, Science B.S., Statistics and Business, B.B.A., Economics
- Taylor Jane Norman of Looneyville, West Virginia, Liberal Arts, B.A., Political Science
- Emily Augusta Proctor of Huntington, West Virginia, Liberal Arts, B.A., History and Spanish
- Samantha Kay Sheppard of Saint Albans, West Virginia, Liberal Arts, B.A., History and Literary Studies
- Eric Russell Sias of Kitts Hill, Ohio, Science, B.S., Chemical Sciences
- Catherine Marie Wippel of Huntington, West Virginia, Education, B.A., Secondary English and Japanese and Spanish
At the morning ceremony, the first Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering degrees from the College of Information Technology and Engineering will be awarded to seven people. Master’s degrees in mechanical engineering will be given to seven individuals at the afternoon ceremony.
Separate ceremonies will take place for pharmacy and medical school graduates. The graduation ceremony for the School of Pharmacy is at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 4, and the medical school ceremony is set for 5 p.m. Friday, May 5, both at the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center. The official graduation date on medical and pharmacy diplomas is May 6.
Commencement notes
- Each commencement ceremony will be streamed live on the web. The link will be available on the MU website at marshall.edu/it/livestream.
- As a way of recognizing each graduate’s achievement, a downloadable copy of the commencement ceremony will be available, free of charge, courtesy of the Marshall University Alumni Association. Visit herdalum.com to download a free copy of the ceremony.
- Marshall will provide shuttle buses to transport graduates and guests to the arena. Graduates and guests are encouraged to park on university lots at the 6th Avenue Parking Facility, the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center, Joan C. Edwards Stadium or across from Smith Hall (Lot F). Shuttle service will begin at 7:45 a.m. for the 9 a.m. ceremony and at noon for the 2 p.m. ceremony. After commencement, buses will transport passengers back to campus.
- Legacy Photographics will take photographs of the graduates, then send proof information to graduates using e-mail addresses a few days after the ceremony. Purchase of photographs is optional.
- Parking is available in the garage on Third Avenue across from the Big Sandy Superstore Arena. Parking in this garage is available on weekends at no charge. Additional parking is available in the Pullman Square garages for a minimal fee. All three parking garages are within reasonable walking distance of the arena.