ODU to Hold 110th Commencement Exercises Saturday
Old Dominion University will hold its 110th commencement ceremonies Saturday, May 9, at the Ted Constant Convocation Center in Norfolk. The morning ceremony begins at 9 a.m., followed by the afternoon ceremony at 2 p.m.
More than 2,000 students are expected to participate in the commencement exercises, which will feature speakers Lt. Gen. Kathleen M. Gainey, director for logistics, J4, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and David Gergen, director of the Center for Public Leadership at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Gainey will speak at the 9 a.m. ceremony for graduates of the College of Arts and Letters, Frank Batten College of Engineering and Technology and College of Health Sciences. Gergen will speak to graduates of the College of Business and Public Administration, Darden College of Education and College of Sciences at the 2 p.m. ceremony.
Gainey earned her commission as a second lieutenant through ROTC in 1978 upon her graduation from ODU, where she received a bachelor's degree in special education. In 1987, she attended Babson College in Wellesley, Mass., to complete her M.B.A. in contract management and procurement. In July 1989, she attended the Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and she is a 1997 graduate of the Army War College.
Her previous commands include 5th Heavy Boat Company, Ford Island, Hawaii; 6th Transportation Battalion, Fort Eustis, Va.; 7th Corps Support Group, Bamberg, Germany; Defense Distribution Center, New Cumberland, Pa.; and Commanding General, Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
Gergen, a commentator, editor, teacher, public servant, best-selling author and adviser to presidents for 30 years, has been an active participant in American national life. He served as director of communications for President Reagan and held positions in the administrations of Presidents Nixon and Ford. In 1993, he put his country before politics when he agreed to first serve as counselor to President Clinton on both foreign policy and domestic affairs, then as special international adviser to the president and to Secretary of State Warren Christopher.
From 1984 to 1993, Gergen worked mostly as a journalist. For some two-and-a-half years, he was editor of U.S. News & World Report. Working with the owner and editor-in-chief Mortimer Zuckerman and a revived staff, he helped guide the magazine to record gains in circulation and advertising. During that period, he also teamed up with Mark Shields for political commentary every Friday night for five years on the "MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour." The two were a popular political team and won numerous accolades for their political coverage.
ODU will award six honorary doctorates during its commencement ceremonies.
Two musicians, a physician and a legal scholar will receive the designations, joining commencement speakers Gainey and Gergen.
At the 9 a.m. ceremony, Patricia A. King will receive a Doctorate of Humane Letters and Russell Stanger will receive a Doctorate of Music. At the 2 p.m. ceremony, Frank Foster will receive a Doctorate of Music and Dr. Donald A.B. Lindberg will receive a Doctorate of Science.
To read more about the honorary degree recipients, go to http://www.odu.edu/ao/news/index.php?todo=details&id=15413.
Both ceremonies will be video streamed live and can be accessed Saturday from the university's home page at www.odu.edu.