The University of New Mexico

NEWS RELEASE


Media Contact : Laurie Mellas, 277-5915

Dec. 4, 2006

Commencement Set for Dec. 15 at University Arena

UNM's Fall Commencement ceremony will be held Friday, Dec. 15 at 6 p.m. in the University Arena (“The Pit”).

About 1,428 students are projected to receive degrees, as follows: 980 bachelor's degrees, 345 master's degrees, three post-master's, 70 doctorates, 15 juris doctorates, one medical doctorate, 10 pharmacy doctorates and four education specialists. An official degree count is determined following commencement.

Pamela Minzner, New Mexico Supreme Court Justice, and the first woman elected by her colleagues to serve as chief justice, will be the keynote speaker. Minzner has been on faculty at the UNM School of Law and served as a judge on the New Mexico Court of Appeals. Governor King appointed her to the New Mexico Supreme Court in 1994.

Graduate Matthew Gallegos will give the student address. Gallegos is graduating with a bachelor's in business administration, including a minor in Spanish, from the Anderson Schools of Management.

Gallegos, born and raised in Albuquerque, is a graduate of St. Pius X High School. Public service is the driving force behind his personal interests, he said. Service experiences while at UNM inspired him to pursue a program of study in human resources management.

As a student leader, Gallegos demonstrated a strong commitment to the UNM community. His campus involvement includes three terms in student government as an Associated Students of UNM senator. He had the opportunity to serve on a variety of university committees, including two national employment searches – the positions of provost and director of the Office of Equal Opportunity.

Richard W. Holder, deputy provost and professor of chemistry, will be the master of ceremonies. The University Band with Justin Crider, conductor, will play a selection of music for the ceremony's prelude and processional.

Graduate Andrea Kiesling, receiving a master of music, will sing the national anthem and the alma mater.

Board of Regents member Rosalyn Nguyen will offer congratulatory remarks. Provost Reed Dasenbrock will confer degrees and recognize honors graduates.

An Alumni-sponsored reception for graduates, their families and friends will take place on the east concourse of the arena following the ceremony.

Several schools, colleges and departments have scheduled convocations for Friday and Saturday, Dec. 15 and 16. For more information, visit the commencement Web site, http://www.unm.edu/~commence/ .

The University of New Mexico is the state's largest university, serving more than 32,000 students. UNM is home to the state's only schools of law, medicine, pharmacy and architecture and operates New Mexico's only academic health center. UNM is noted for comprehensive undergraduate programs and research that benefits the state and the nation.

www.unm.edu