Stetson University will confer bachelor’s and master’s degrees to 662 graduates on Friday and Saturday, May 9 and 10, during three commencement ceremonies all to be held at the Edmunds Center, 143 E. Pennsylvania Ave., DeLand. Stetson will also present several awards during the commencement ceremonies to outstanding students and exemplary faculty.

Wendy B. Libby, president of Stetson, will give the “charge” at both ceremonies – a tradition where the president places a duty and responsibility upon the graduates. Spring Commencement includes all graduates who completed degree requirements in July 2013, December 2013 and May 2014.

The first commencement ceremony will be Friday evening, May 9, at 7 p.m., when 171 graduate students receive master’s degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Business Administration. Doors to the Edmunds Center will open at 6 p.m.

Sam Slaughter, candidate for the Master of Arts in English, has been chosen as student speaker for the College of Arts and Sciences. He has worked as a graduate assistant in Stetson’s Academic Success Center, working directly with many different offices across the Stetson community. After graduation, Sam will be working as tap room manager and assistant brewer with DeLand’s new craft brewery, Persimmon Hollow Brewing Company. In addition, he’ll begin work on his second novel.

Lauren Hall, candidate for the Executive MBA degree, has been chosen as student speaker to represent the School of Business Administration. Hall, a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, obtained her bachelor’s from New York University, where she studied hospitality and tourism management. She has worked for The Walt Disney Company since 2006, and is currently manager in catering sales and services at Walt Disney World. As part of the EMBA program, Hall had the opportunity to study abroad with Stetson in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Singapore, and had previously studied abroad with NYU in London and Prague. She plans to pursue a lifelong career within the travel and tourism industry.

Two undergraduate commencement ceremonies for 491 students will be held on Saturday, May 10. The first ceremony will begin at 10 a.m., when students in the School of Business Administration and the School of Music receive bachelor’s degrees. Doors to Edmunds Center will open at 9 a.m.

Jeremy Goldberg, studying finance and statistics, has been chosen as the School of Business Administration student speaker. Throughout his time at Stetson, he has been involved in Greek Life, serving as vice president of Recruitment for Delta Sigma Phi, and then president of the Interfraternity Council. Goldberg also participated in FOCUS, the university’s orientation program, and served as co-coordinator for the 2017 incoming class. During his senior year, Goldberg spent most of his time in the Roland George Investments Program lab, as captain of Stetson’s Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) team, and was a George Program Trustee for the fixed-income semester. He plans to attend Washington University’s Master of Science in Finance program.

Representing the School of Music as student speaker, Ariel Arthur is graduating with a Bachelor of Music in Orchestral Performance, specializing in cello. Her work with Music Professor David Bjella, has led her to perform as co-principal cellist with both the Stetson University Symphonic Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra, and has placed in several competitions, including honorable mention in the MTNA Young Artist Competition – Regional Division, the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra/Substitute Cellist award, several talent scholarships, the National League of American Pen Women Award and frequent recognition on the Stetson dean’s list. Arthur was inducted as a member of the Pi Kappa Lambda, the national honor society for musicians. She plans to continue her education at either Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, or Emory University Law School in Atlanta, Georgia, in the fall.

The Commencement ceremony for undergraduate students receiving bachelor’s degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences, begins at 2 p.m. Doors to Edmunds will open at 1 p.m.

Sonja James-Gaitor, social science major, has been chosen as one of two student speakers for the College of Arts and Sciences. James-Gaitor transferred to Stetson in August 2011 after receiving her associate degree in paralegal studies from Lakeland Community College in Kirkland, Ohio. A married mother of four, she has been actively involved as the founder and president of the Non-Traditional Student Organization as well as a FOCUS Orientation Leader. As a non-traditional student, James-Gaitor mentored other non-traditional students through the SU First Generation Mentoring Program and continues to serve her community as a member of AmeriCorp Vista. She volunteers at the Daytona Beach Department of Juvenile Justice Detention Center working with at-risk juveniles, and plans to continue her work there after graduation. Through her example, she hopes to show young people that “no matter your circumstances—or age—if you can dream it, you can achieve it.”

Michelle Vergara, the second student speaker chosen to represent the College of Arts and Sciences, is graduating with a self-defined major in behavioral economics. Vergara has been involved as a student ambassador, a member of the Stetson Entrepreneurial Group and head economics tutor. She founded the first TEDxStetsonU event to spread noteworthy ideas in the Stetson community, and Startups x Stetson, a weekend-long entrepreneurship workshop. She has been a part of the Honors Program since her freshman year, which allowed her to self-define her major. She is a member in several honorary societies, including Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Epsilon, Sigma Iota Rho and Phi Eta Sigma. After graduation, Vergara plans to work as a sales and marketing associate at the Advisory Board Company in Washington, D.C.

During commencement the William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching, considered Stetson’s most prestigious award for faculty, will be presented by Beth Paul, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, and by last year’s award recipient, Harry Price, Ph.D., professor of chemistry.

Prior to the commencement ceremony on Friday, May 9, the ROTC Commissioning ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. in Lee Chapel at Elizabeth Hall, 421 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand. The Army ROTC program provides students the opportunity to acquire skills and knowledge necessary for commissioning as a second lieutenant. This year one student will be commissioned at this ceremony.

Also on Friday, May 9, at 3 p.m., Stetson will hold its Celebration of Commencement, combining elements from Baccalaureate and Academic Awards Convocation. The Celebration, held in Lee Chapel at Elizabeth Hall, is designed for undergraduate students who have been awarded honors in each of the colleges and schools for various projects, research and other academic achievements. It will be led by University Chaplain Michael Fronk and the deans from each college and school. Several awards will be presented at the Celebration of Commencement, but among the most prestigious are the Algernon Sydney Sullivan student award and the John Hague Award for Distinguished Teaching in the Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Following each commencement ceremony, the reception and diploma pickup location is in the Promenade area between the Stetson Green and Palm Court. (Rain location is Stetson Room in the Carlton Union Building.) Times are listed below. Graduating students, their families, friends and visitors are welcome to attend.

Guests do not need a ticket for entry to the commencement ceremonies as seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests should arrive one hour prior to commencement. For more information on commencement or the Celebration, please visit the website or contact University Events at [email protected] or 386-822-8920.

The schedule at-a-glance for Stetson University’s 2014 Commencement Ceremonies follows:

Friday, May 9

10 a.m. — ROTC Commissioning Ceremony

Lee Chapel in Elizabeth Hall, 421 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand

3 p.m. – The Celebration of Commencement

Lee Chapel in Elizabeth Hall, 421 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand

7 p.m. – Commencement Ceremony (Graduate)

Edmunds Center, 143 E. Pennsylvania Ave., DeLand (Doors open at 6 p.m.)

8:30-9:30 p.m. – Reception and diploma pickup. Location: Promenade area between the Stetson Green and Palm Court. (Rain location: Stetson Room in the Carlton Union Building)

Saturday, May 10

10 a.m. – Schools of Business Administration and Music Commencement Ceremony

Edmunds Center, 143 E. Pennsylvania Ave., DeLand (Doors open at 9 a.m.)

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Reception and diploma pickup. Location: Promenade area between the Stetson Green and Palm Court. (Rain location: Stetson Room in the Carlton Union Building)

2 p.m. – College of Arts and Sciences Commencement Ceremony

Edmunds Center, 143 E. Pennsylvania Ave., DeLand (Doors open at 1 p.m.)

3:30-4:30 p.m. – Reception and diploma pickup. Location: Promenade area between the Stetson Green and Palm Court. (Rain location: Stetson Room in the Carlton Union Building)

All three commencement ceremonies will be live streamed on GoHatters.com at http://www.gohatters.com/liveEvents/liveEvents.dbml for those who cannot attend. There is no site registration required to watch commencement via the website. When the event starts a PLAY button will appear on the page (approximately 10 minutes before the ceremony is scheduled to start). Note: You do not have to register. This is a free service for the Hatter community.

Stetson University College of Law commencement ceremony will be Saturday, May 17, 8:30 a.m., Gulfport, Fla., campus, 1401 61st St. S.