Caps, gowns, tassels: K-State commencement ceremonies May 7, 13 and 14

Manhattan, KS — More than 3,000 students are candidates for graduation from Kansas State University this spring, with commencement ceremonies set for Saturday, May 7, at K-State Salina and Friday, May 13, and Saturday, May 14, on the Manhattan campus.

Information on the ceremonies, parking, accommodations and more is available at k-state.edu/graduation. A live webcast of the Manhattan campus ceremonies also will be available at k-state.edu/graduation/.

The Class of 2022 is the 155th to graduate from K-State. To be awarded this spring will be nearly 2,350 bachelor’s degrees, 635 master’s degrees, more than 100 doctorates and more than 110 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees. More than 150 students are earning multiple degrees. The graduates-to-be also include 470 students who are earning their degrees through a K-State Online program. These graduates are being recognized at the K-State Global Campus virtual commencement site, online.k-state.edu/student-support/virtual-commencement.

Commencement gets underway at 10 a.m. May 7 in the Student Life Center at K-State Salina. Commencement speaker will be David Delker, associate dean and professor emeritus of the campus. He retired in 2014 after a longtime career with K-State in Manhattan and Salina.

Graduate degrees will be awarded at ceremonies on May 13 in Bramlage Coliseum. The Graduate School commencement will be at 1 p.m., while the College of Veterinary Medicine ceremony will start at 3:30 p.m. Regent Shelly Kiblinger will represent the Kansas Board of Regents at both ceremonies.

At the Graduate School ceremony, the speaker will be U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Michelle M.T. Letcher, who earned a master’s in security and strategic studies from K-State. The speaker for the College of Veterinary Medicine will be Michael Dryden, university distinguished professor emeritus of pathobiology and diagnostic medicine and an internationally recognized expert on fleas and ticks. Also at the ceremony, longtime K-State and College of Veterinary Medicine supporter Cheryl Mellenthin will be presented with an honorary degree.

The following is the schedule and speakers for ceremonies on May 14:

• College of Arts and Sciences, 8:30 a.m., Bramlage Coliseum. Chris Sorensen, Cortelyou-Rust university distinguished professor of physics and university teaching scholar, will be the speaker. Sorensen is retiring after a 45-year career at K-State that included being named the Carnegie Foundation and Council for the Advance and Support of Education National Professor of the Year in 2007.

• College of Architecture, Planning & Design, 10 a.m., McCain Auditorium. Brittany Williams, senior design manager of strategic innovation, Webcor, will be the speaker. Williams earned a Bachelor of Architecture from K-State. Tickets are required to attend this ceremony, k-state.edu/graduation/guide/guests.html.

• College of Education, 11 a.m., Bramlage Coliseum. Brian Jordan, executive director of the Kansas Association of School Boards, will be the speaker. Jordan, who earned a doctorate in educational leadership from K-State, also will receive the college’s Dan and Cheryl Yunk Excellence in Educational Administration Award.

• College of Business Administration, 12:30 p.m., Bramlage Coliseum. The speaker will be John Buser, retired vice chairman of Alternative Assets, Neuberger Berman. Buser is a K-State alumnus and longtime supporter of the university.

• College of Agriculture, 2:30 p.m., Bramlage Coliseum. Michael Torrey, principal and founder of Michael Torrey Associates, will be the speaker. Torrey earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from K-State.

• College of Health and Human Sciences, 4:30 p.m., Bramlage Coliseum. The speaker will be Kelli Alldredge, senior vice president of engagement for Chicken N Pickle and a K-State alumna.

• Carl R. Ice College of Engineering, 6:30 p.m., Bramlage Coliseum. Deona “Dee” Hayes, founder and CEO of Excellence Engineering, will be the speaker. Hayes earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from K-State.

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