MURRAY, Ky. — Murray State University will celebrate Spring 2018 Commencement on Saturday, May 12, in the CFSB Center with an undergraduate ceremony at 9 a.m. and a graduate and doctoral ceremony at 2 p.m.
A total of 1,509 pending degrees will be conferred during the two services — including associate, baccalaureate, specialist, master’s and doctoral degrees — with 28 states and 23 countries represented among May and August 2018 graduates.
The ceremony is scheduled to begin with the Presentation of Colors by the Murray State University Army ROTC Color Guard, while Distinguished Professor Susan Edington, senior instructor in early childhood and elementary education, will serve as the ceremony’s mace-bearer.
During the undergraduate ceremony, Laura Guebert and Charles Graves, outstanding seniors for spring 2018, will lead the candidates for the conferral of degrees and provide the valedictions later in the service. Guebert is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in history, while Graves is graduating with bachelor’s degrees in accounting and mathematics.
Murray State faculty in attendance will be led into the arena for both ceremonies by the recipients of the Regents Teaching Award for Excellence: Frances Smith, Brian Bourke, Deborah Bell, Yoko Hatakeyama, Rebecca Williams, Elizabeth Donovan, Sterling Wright and Shea Porr. They will be joined by the Max Carman Teaching Excellence
Recipient Amelia Dodd, Presidential Research Fellow Juyoung Song, University Distinguished Mentor Yoko Hatakeyama, Distinguished Researcher Randall Black, Faculty Advisor of the Year Bassam Atieh and University Emerging Scholars Urmi Engineer and Gary ZeRuth.
Faculty marshals assisting with the overall ceremonies include Traci Byrd, Heath Keller, Michael Kemp, Robert Lyons, Melony Shemberger, Matthew Shultz and F. Gilland Welsch.
Murray State President Bob Davies will preside over the ceremonies and deliver welcome messages. Davies, along with Provost Mark Arant, will administer the Presentation of Candidates for Degrees.
The doors to the CFSB Center will open at 8 a.m. for the undergraduate service and 1 p.m. for the graduate and doctoral service. Admission tickets are not required for either service but seating will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
General guest parking is available in the Stewart Stadium parking lot, east of the CFSB Center and off U.S. Highway 641. Shuttle buses will be available to transport guests from the parking lot to the front doors of the CFSB Center beginning at 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The shuttle buses will also be available following both services to return guests to the parking lot.
Guests with accessibility needs may use the parking lot located off Gilbert Graves Drive. An accessible parking tag or relevant special permission may be required to park in the lot. Guests with limited mobility may be dropped off at this location. Additionally, the top two rows of chair seating in the CFSB Center will be reserved for guests with limited mobility. Special seating areas will also be located on each side of the arena. Ushers will be available for assistance. Other special requests regarding accessibility needs can be directed to the Office of Institutional
Diversity, Equity and Access at 270-809-3155 on Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or to the CFSB Center at 270-809-5577.
For those unable to attend, both commencement ceremonies will be streamed live at murraystate.edu/streaming. Use #RacerGraduation on social media to share and document the graduation experience. More information about both services can be found at murraystate.edu/commencement.