May Commencement at JMU Honors Achievements of 3,700 Graduates
News
Spring commencement weekend, May 6-8, at James Madison University takes on a distinctly collegiate nature as individual undergraduate colleges and the Graduate School sponsor programs to honor the institution's newest graduates.
A major expansion of Bridgeforth Stadium, where JMU has held mass commencement programs for graduates in past years, leaves the university without a suitable site for similar exercises this year. Instead, college ceremonies take on new significance and offer the opportunity for more intimate graduation festivities.
Graduating seniors will gather Thursday, May 6, at a Senior Convocation to hear Blake Mycoskie, the founder and "chief shoe giver" of TOMS Shoes Inc., share his company's successful One for One business model. TOMS Shoes gives a pair of new shoes to children in need around the world for every pair of shoes sold. The company's promise encouraged conscientious consumers to purchase and give more than 140,000 pairs of new shoes to children in just three years.
The Graduate School continues a tradition that began last year by holding commencement exercises for graduate students at 7 p.m. Friday, May 7, in the JMU Convocation Center. Earlier graduate students received their academic hoods during JMU's general commencement program.
A total of 450 students are expected to receive master's degrees at the Friday program. Nine students will earn educational specialist degrees and 15 students will receive doctoral degrees.
At the undergraduate level, 3,206 students are candidates to receive degrees Saturday, May 8, at their respective college programs.
College ceremonies begin at 9 a.m. at the following locations:
- College of Arts and Letters, JMU Quadrangle
- College of Business, JMU Convocation Center
- College of Education and University Studies, Godwin Hall
- College of Integrated Science and Technology, Soccer/Lacrosse Complex
- College of Science and Mathematics, East Campus Library Lawn
- College of Visual and Performing Arts, Duke Hall Lawn.
More information about spring commencement is available at https://www.jmu.edu/commencement/.
Special ceremonies for nursing and ROTC students are part of commencement weekend.
Fifty-seven nursing students will participate in the traditional pinning ceremony at 2 p.m. May 7. A member of the JMU nursing faculty, to be chosen by the graduating students, will speak at the program, an event for nursing graduates, their families and other guests.
Lt. Gen. Benjamin Freakley, commanding general, U.S. Army Accessions Command, Fort Monroe and a Woodstock native, will speak at the ROTC Commissioning Ceremony at 2 p.m. May 8 in the Memorial Hall Auditorium, where 21 graduating seniors will receive commissions as second lieutenants in the Army or Army Reserve.
