VANCOUVER, Wash. — Washington State University Vancouver held its 13th annual commencement ceremony today (May 18) led by Campus Executive Officer and Dean Hal Dengerink.
This year, WSU Vancouver granted a total of 574 degrees: 424 undergraduate, 148 graduate students and two doctoral students. WSU Provost and Academic Vice President Robert C. Bates gave the commencement address and human development graduate Tamara Haskew (Skamania) sang the National Anthem. This year’s ceremony was held in the WSU Vancouver campus plaza.
The ceremony also included the following student, faculty and community awards:
— The Dean’s Awards for Service to WSU Vancouver was given to Val Ogden , a 1946 WSU alumna, local resident and retiring state legislator.
— The Dean’s Award for Student Achievement was presented to Jon Hartinger (Vancouver), who earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Noelani Puniwai (Vancouver), who is one of the first three students to receive a Master of Science degree in Environmental Science from WSU Vancouver.
— Susan Finley, assistant professor of teaching and learning, received the WSU Vancouver Research Excellence Award in recognition of her research and outreach to local homeless populations and homeless advocates and for her work in art-based education.
— The student body honored Melissa Gruys, assistant professor of management and decision sciences, with the Student’s Award for Teaching Excellence.
— Bachelor of Arts in Human Development graduates Robert Cox (Washougal) and Kelsey Hamilton (Vancouver) and Master of Science in Nursing graduate Janie Darby (Castle Rock) were recognized as recipients of the 2002 President’s Award. They were among 80 students honored university-wide for service to WSU.
— The business program awarded Outstanding Undergraduate Student Achievement Awards to Tiffany Bolliger (Vancouver) and Tami Sweeney (Vancouver), and an Outstanding Graduate Student Award to Kevin Hoult (Vancouver).
— The College of Nursing awarded Janie Darby (Castle Rock) with the Outstanding Graduate Nursing Award.
— The Master of Public Affairs program awarded Lili Dai Starks (Vancouver) the Distinguished Paper Award for the Master of Public Affairs.
— The science program gave four awards this year. Susie Conley (Vancouver) received the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award. Casey Gozart (Battle Ground) received the Outstanding Scientific Research Award. Jonathan Hultquist (Vancouver) received the Outstanding Service Award and Richard Luther (Vancouver) received the Outstanding Undergraduate Science Student Award.
— The Master in Teaching program awarded the J. Kenneth Miller Award for Outstanding MIT Student to Amy Rich (Vancouver).
WSU Vancouver faculty who received university-wide awards were also recognized.
— Gisela Ernst Slavit, associate professor of teaching and learning, received the WSU College of Education Faculty Excellence Award for Research.
— Carol Siegel, associate professor of English, was selected for the WSU College of Liberal Arts Buchanan Distinguished Professorship.
Editor’s Note: A list of 2002 graduates is available electronically by calling WSU Vancouver at 360/546-9602.
