Campus News

Westminster Graduates Largest Class at 2012 Commencement Ceremony

More than 900 students to be presented diplomas at this year’s commencement

SALT LAKE CITY – Making history once again, Westminster College will graduate its  largest class of more than 900 students on June 2, 2012, at the Maverik Center. Westminster’s president, Dr. Michael Bassis, will present the diplomas at his final ceremony before his retirement this summer.

Approximately 562 undergraduates and 385 graduate students will participate in this year’s event. The Class of 2012 is made up of students from 31 U.S. states and 20 different countries.
 
In his 10 years at the college, Bassis has seen the graduating class grow from 586 to 947.

“Commencements are wonderful opportunities for reflecting on the past and imagining the future,” said Bassis. “That’s what I’ll be doing as I join our largest graduating class at my last commencement as Westminster’s president.”

The largest number of degrees will be awarded in the areas of nursing, business administration, psychology, finance, marketing and economics.

Among the graduates will be the first cohort from a dual-degree partnership with Nankai University in China. Nine students will receive degrees in economics from Westminster and Nankai University during commencement.

This year’s student speaker is Kimberly Cheney, who is receiving a bachelor of science degree in business marketing and a minor in Sociology.

Commencement Speaker and Honorary Degree Recipients:

The commencement speaker is businessman and philanthropist Bruce Bastian, the co-founder of WordPerfect and head of the B.W. Bastian Foundation.  He will receive a Doctor of Humanities degree at the commencement ceremony.

Noreen Rouillard, Westminster Board of Trustees member, will also receive a Doctor of Humanities degree at the commencement ceremony.

For more information on Westminster’s commencement events, visit http://www.westminstercollege.edu/commencement/

Media Contacts:  Krista DeAngelis & Arikka Von (801) 832-2682

About Westminster:
Westminster is a nationally recognized, comprehensive liberal arts college. With a broad array of graduate and undergraduate programs, Westminster is distinguished by its unique environment for learning. Westminster prepares students for success through active and engaged learning, real world experiences and its vibrant campus community. Westminster’s unique location, adjacent to the Rocky Mountains and to the dynamic city of Salt Lake, further enriches the college experience. For more information, visit www.westminstercollege.edu or follow WestminsterSLC on Twitter.