OU to honor graduates at spring commencement ceremonies

OU to honor graduates at spring commencement ceremonies
Commencement Cap
Commencement ceremonies for OU's spring 2016 graduates will take place April 28-30, in the O'rena.

Oakland University will recognize its spring 2016 graduates at five commencement ceremonies, which will all take place in the O’rena, on OU’s campus. 

 

Graduate students

 

The commencement ceremony for all doctoral and master's degree candidates will take place at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 28.

 

Commencement speaker: James Schwarz, superintendent, Avondale Schools

Alumni speaker: Mark Guthrie, SECS ’86, SBA ‘91

 

Undergraduate Students


Commencement ceremonies for undergraduates will be held Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30.

 

April 29 ceremonies:

 

9 a.m. – College of Arts and Sciences (Ceremony #1)
Communications & Journalism; Biology; Chemistry; Environmental Science; English; History; International Studies; Liberal Studies; Mathematics & Statistics; Physics; Religious Studies; Linguistics; any others not directly assigned.

 

Commencement speaker: Alexandra Zetye

Alumni speaker: John Stoll, CAS ‘00

 

2 p.m. – College of Arts and Sciences (Ceremony #2)
Sociology, Anthropology, Social Work & Criminal Justice; Psychology; Political Science; Music, Theatre & Dance; Art & Art History; Modern Languages & Literature; Philosophy; Writing & Rhetoric; Women & Gender Studies

 

Commencement speaker: Karl Adam

Alumni speaker: Stacie Behler, CAS ‘92

 

April 30 ceremonies:

 

10 a.m. – School of Business Administration, School of Education and Human Services & School of Engineering and Computer Science

 

Alumni speaker: Rob Ray ‘SBA ‘05

 

3 p.m. – School of Health Sciences, School of Nursing & Bachelor of Integrative Studies

 

Commencement speaker Roop Raj, anchor, Fox 2 News

Alumni speaker: Debra Guido-Allen, SON ‘92

 

Before and during the ceremonies

The O’rena doors will open one hour before each ceremony. All guests must have tickets and should be seated 10 minutes prior to the processional. Each ceremony lasts approximately one and a half to two hours. Graduates are asked to stay for the entire ceremony and will be directed by a marshal to exit the O’rena.

Family and friends who are unable to attend the commencement will be able to view the ceremonies on the commencement website as they occur. A link will be posted to the page on graduation day. Videos of the ceremonies will also be available to view on the commencement website after the ceremony.

Watch the virtual rehearsal for more information. 

Don’t have tickets?

Guests who don’t have tickets to commencement will be able to view the ceremony live on campus via closed circuit television in the Oakland Center Gold Rooms. Light refreshments will be provided.

Parking

Parking is free and open to the public, except where indicated. Police officers and parking attendants will be on hand to direct traffic. All event parking is located within a 5-minute walk to the O'rena, and buses, motor coaches and vans will be making stops in all lots to shuttle those who prefer to ride. For a map of campus, visit oakland.edu/map.

In case of inclement weather, information on cancellation of ceremonies is available by calling the university at (248) 370-2000, tuning in to WJR or WWJ radio, or watching FOX2, WDIV-TV or WXYZ-TV. 

Live traffic and event updates will be posted to the Oakland University Police Department Twitter @OUPD.

An American Sign Language interpreter will be present at each ceremony to aid the hearing impaired. Wheelchair accessible seating is available for guests and a handicap accessible parking lot is located next to the O’rena in P16.


For additional commencement information, call (248) 370-2190 or view the commencement website at oakland.edu/commencement. Watch a live stream during the ceremonies at oakland.edu/outv/live-streams/commencement. 

 

Photo contest


Share photos of your 
personalized commencement attire for a chance to be featured on OU's social media and to win a diploma frame and alumni swag pack.  Submissions will be posted to the OU Facebook page. See the contest page for rules and how to enter. 

Honorary degree recipients

 

Curt Tofteland

 

At the 9 a.m. ceremony on Friday, April 29, Curt Tofteland, will receive the honorary degree of Doctor of Humanities. Tofteland is the founder and producing director of Shakespeare Behind Bars, Inc., a prison theatre arts program that helps incarcerated and post-incarcerated adults and juveniles develop life skills to reintegrate into society. The recidivism rate among program participants is just 6.1 percent, compared to the national average of 67 percent. A majority of inmate members go on to complete at least a GED and many complete an associate’s degree. Tofteland visited Oakland University in 2008 and 2013 to screen films and conduct a master class for students. Those visits have inspired students to conduct research that later resulted in conference presentations and masters theses.

  

Patti Finnegan Sharf

 

At the 10 a.m. ceremony on Saturday, April 30, Patti Finnegan Sharf will receive the honorary degree of Doctor of Humanities. Finnegan Sharf has carried forward the philanthropic ideals of her late husband, Stephan, who established the R&S Sharf Golf Course, supported the schools of Business Administration, and Engineering and Computer Science, along with Meadow Brook Music Festival and Oakland Athletics. She also supported construction of the Sharf Clubhouse and the addition of a restaurant, which became Patti Finnegan’s Pub & Grille. Finnegan Sharf has actively supported OU’s Golf and Learning Center, Meadow Brook Hall and Oakland Athletics. An avid traveler, she recently established the Patti Finnegan Sharf Study Abroad Endowed Fund for students in the College of Arts and Sciences and School of Business Administration.