May. 14, 2009
Media Contact: Catherine Ferraro, cferraro@gmu.edu 703-993-8813
More than 7,000 graduates to receive diplomas
FAIRFAX, Va. – More than 7,000 graduates will receive diplomas at George Mason University's 42nd annual commencement ceremony in the Patriot Center on Saturday, May 16, at 10 a.m. on Mason's Fairfax Campus.
Steve Case, chairman and CEO of Revolution and co-founder of America Online (AOL), will deliver the commencement address. Case and Paul Strassman, distinguished professor of information sciences at Mason, will also be awarded the honorary degrees of Doctorate of Humane Letters.
The Mason Medal, the university's highest honorary award, will be given to Donald and Nancy de Laski, community activists and patrons of the arts at Mason. Their support has also made possible the university’s new Center for Consciousness and Transformation, which is funded through a ten-year commitment from the de Laski Family Foundation.
The student speaker for this year's ceremony will be Duval Bodden, who is receiving a bachelor's degree in communication. Bodden is originally from Westchester, NY.
The graduating class includes 4,061 students who will receive a bachelor's degree; 2,535 a master's degree; 240 a doctorate; and 237 a law degree.
This year’s top undergraduate majors are psychology with 284 graduates; accounting with 265 graduates; communication with 218 graduates; biology with 215 graduates; and management with 214 graduates.
The oldest member of the class of 2009 is Ana Reynales, 82. She will receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in foreign languages with a concentration in Spanish. The youngest graduate is Rochelle Shams, 18, who will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in management.
Steve Case launched Revolution in 2005. Described as a company that seeks to drive transformative change by shifting power to consumers, its mission is to partner with entrepreneurs in building businesses that give people more choice, control and convenience in such areas as health, finances and wellness.
Born and raised in Hawaii, Case is also chairman of two non-profit organizations: the Case Foundation, a private family foundation, and Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure, an entrepreneurial approach to funding brain cancer research. Case is co-founder of AOL and was former chair of AOL Time Warner.
Paul Strassman is completing a three-year appointment to Mason’s faculty as a distinguished professor. A native of what was then Czechoslovakia and former guerilla soldier during World War II, he has enjoyed a distinguished career in both the private and public sectors. Among the positions he has held in his career are global director of corporate computer systems for General Foods, chief information officer for Xerox, executive for the corporate information management program of the U.S. defense department, and chief information officer for NASA.
Donald and Nancy de Laski have been affiliated with Mason through their support of the arts and various academic programs. Presently, Donald de Laski serves on the George Mason University Foundation Board of Trustees and Nancy de Laski serves on its Visual and Performing Arts board.
About George Mason University
Named the #1 national university to watch by U.S. News & World Report, George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with global distinction in a range of academic fields. Located in the heart of Northern Virginia’s technology corridor near Washington, D.C., Mason prepares its students to succeed in the work force and meet the needs of the region and the world. With strong undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering and information technology, dance, organizational psychology and health care, Mason students are routinely recognized with national and international scholarships. Mason professors conduct groundbreaking research in areas such as cancer, climate change, information technology and the biosciences, and Mason’s Center for the Arts brings world-renowned artists, musicians and actors to its stage.
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