While the focal point of Commencement 2012 is the main ceremony on Friday morning, there are many activities earlier in the week. Chief among these are the Baccalaureate Ceremony and Dinner on Thursday, May 10.
Baccalaureate Ceremony
Taking place in Bovard Auditorium on Thursday, May 10, the university’s Baccalaureate Ceremony begins at 5:00 p.m. and runs about one hour. Baccalaureate is a non-denominational, inter-faith celebration open to all students and their guests.
The highlight of the 2012 ceremony will be an address by television journalist Lisa Ling. The participation of numerous university dignitaries, as well as the religious directors who work with our student groups adds luster to the occasion. The service itself features music and readings from a wide range of religious traditions, and concludes with a benediction over the graduating students.
There are no reservations necessary for the ceremony, but seating in Bovard Auditorium is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and the 1,200 available seats always fill up quickly. Students do not need to wear regalia for the ceremony.
Baccalaureate Dinner
Baccalaureate is followed by a festive dinner for graduates and their families. The dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. This beautiful dinner hosts 1,200 students and families under an enormous canopy on Pardee Way.
The cost is $35.00 per person, which includes tax, gratuity, and wine or other beverage. There is no limit to the number of tickets you can buy, but tables will be seated in groups of ten (i.e. if you buy eleven tickets, we will have to split your party among two adjacent tables).
Cancellations may be made at any time, but we can only offer full refunds through April 13. Cancellations made between April 14 and April 27 will be given a 50% refund. No refunds will be given for cancellations made after April 27, 2012.
Baccalaureate Speaker
Television journalist Lisa Ling began her career on television at age 16, as a co-host of Scratch, a nationally syndicated teen newsmagazine program. By the age of 18, she had become one of the youngest reporters for Channel One News, which serves 8.5 million students in high schools nationwide. She reported from two dozen countries, and was named Channel One's senior war correspondent before the age of 25. In addition to her full time reporting job at Channel One, Ms. Ling attended the University of Southern California.
Ms. Ling has produced eight documentaries for PBS, and has worked as a freelance correspondent for ABC News' weekend edition. From 1999 to 2002, she was a co-host of Barbara Walters' successful daily morning talk show, The View.
Until 2010 Ms. Ling hosted the documentary series National Geographic Explorer, while also serving as a special correspondent for The Oprah Winfrey Show. She currently hosts Our America with Lisa Ling.