Graduates take center stage in Elliott Hall during Purdue commencement ceremonies

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University on Friday (May 10) began its annual rite of spring: a series of six commencement ceremonies throughout the weekend. More than 4,600 undergraduates were expected to walk the West Lafayette campus’ Elliott Hall of Music stage by Sunday afternoon.

Purdue President Mitch Daniels was the keynote for each of the six ceremonies. His speech is available here.

The schedule was as follows:

* Division I — Friday, May 10. Graduate School (All schools and colleges).

* Division II — Friday, May 10. College of Liberal Arts and Purdue Polytechnic Institute.

* Division III — Saturday, May 11. The colleges of Agriculture, Engineering (schools of Agricultural and Biological, Materials and Mechanical) and Pharmacy (Pharm.D.).

* Division IV — Saturday, May 11. The College of Engineering (Aeronautics and Astronautics, Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Construction, Electrical and Computer, Engineering Education, Environmental and Ecological, and Industrial and Nuclear).

* Division V — Sunday, May 12. The colleges of Education, Health and Human Sciences (including Doctor of Audiology and Doctor of Nursing Practice) and Veterinary Medicine.

* Division VI — Sunday, May 12. The Krannert School of Management, and the College of Science.

Nearly 6,000 students participated in spring commencement ceremonies of a milestone year for Purdue University. The university is celebrating its 150th year of making Giant Leaps. (Purdue University photo/Mark Simons) Download image

About 7,103 students were candidates for degrees, and approximately 4,659 undergraduates were participating in the commencement ceremonies. Also participating were 1,063 graduate students and 231 students from the professional programs. A photo gallery of the commencement ceremonies is available here.

Each undergraduate division featured a student responder.

• Filippo Lippi of Brownstown, Indiana, who received a Bachelor of Science degree in organizational leadership from Purdue Polytechnic Institute, was the student responder in the Friday evening (Division II) ceremony.
• Olga O. Vlashyn of Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, who received a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the College of Pharmacy, was the student responder in the Saturday morning (Division III) ceremony.
• Paige M. Rudin of Carmel, Indiana, who received a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from the College of Engineering, was the student responder in the Saturday afternoon (Division IV) event.
• Lucas W. Turner of Crawfordsville, Indiana, who received Bachelor of Science in health science from the College of Health and Human Sciences, was the Sunday morning (Division V) student responder.
• Nicholas D. Sprecher of Indianapolis, who received a Bachelor of Science in industrial management from the School of Management, was the student responder for the Sunday afternoon (Division VI) ceremony.

All students’ names were called, and they received their actual diploma at the ceremony. Diplomas for all candidates who did not attend commencement will be mailed approximately six weeks after the ceremonies. 

Writer: Matthew Oates, 765-496-2571, oatesw@purdue.edu, @mo_oates 

Source: Christine DeHahn Pass, senior assistant registrar, 765-494-6163, dehahn@purdue.edu