Cal Poly Spring 2008 Commencement Set for June 14 and 15

SAN LUIS OBISPO -- More than 3,600 students are eligible to graduate in two separate ceremonies at Cal Poly’s Spring Commencement Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, June 15, in the Alex G. Spanos Stadium. Both ceremonies will be held at 10 a.m.

This year’s commencement schedule is:

June 14 Ceremony

College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences – 764 eligible graduates
College of Liberal Arts – 732 eligible graduates
College of Science and Mathematics – 344 eligible graduates
College of Education – 88 Master of Arts in Education, 158 credentials, and four Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

June 15 Ceremony

College of Architecture and Environmental Design – 392 eligible graduates
Orfalea College of Business – 570 eligible graduates
College of Engineering – 768 eligible graduates
Continuing Education – 6 eligible graduates

Cal Poly’s Continuing Education graduates will be the first ever to complete their undergraduate degree in interdisciplinary studies through the university’s Adult Degree Program. The program offers busy adults the opportunity to earn a Cal Poly Bachelor's Degree while balancing the responsibilities of work, family and community.

Cal Poly will confer three honorary degrees during this year’s commencement ceremonies.

George H. Soares (AB ’66) will receive an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws in recognition of his exemplary public service, as well as his outstanding commitment to higher education and the agricultural community. A successful attorney, lobbyist and dairyman, he is a founding partner of Kahn, Soares & Conway, a law firm well known for its expertise in agricultural, environmental, water, business and administrative law.

As the chair of the CSU Agriculture Advisory Committee, Soares has helped strengthen agricultural research and education and expand partnerships between the university and the agriculture industry. In 2007, the CSU Alumni Council named him the Cal Poly Alumni Advocate of the Year in recognition of his work advancing the mission of The California State University system. Soares will give the keynote address on Saturday, June 14.

Jean Lane will receive an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters in recognition of her extraordinary leadership and service on behalf of the environment, education and the arts. She has employed innovative and creative methods to advance the cause of environmental and cultural preservation and education. Her conservation work has included successful efforts to promote and support protection of San Mateo County Coastal lands and Stanford University's Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve. She has served on the boards of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, the National Tropical Botanical Garden, and the National Advisory Council of Filoli Center, a National Trust for Historic Preservation property. With her husband, Bill, she has been a key supporter of Cal Poly's Leaning Pine Arboretum.

An accomplished musician, Jean Lane has played harpsichord in the baroque Portola Trio since 1976. The Lanes’ philanthropic support for the arts includes establishment of the Jean Gimbel Lane Prize in Piano Performance at the Northwestern University School of Music and generous donations to the Performing Arts Center on the Cal Poly campus.

Jean Lane is an emeritus member of the President's Cabinet at Cal Poly, an advisory body of business and industry leaders. With her husband, she is also a founding benefactor of the Baker Forum Endowment, established to support a biennial forum for senior leaders on critical public policy issues facing the nation and higher education. Jean Lane will give the keynote address on Sunday, June 15 with her husband, Bill.

L. W. “Bill” Lane Jr. will receive an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters in recognition of his exemplary service as a champion of the environment, the arts and education. Lane served as Ambassador to Australia and the South Pacific island nation of Nauru and as U.S. Ambassador-at-Large and Commissioner General at the world's first international ocean exposition held in Japan. In 1993, he was recognized by the Governor General of Australia as an Honorary Officer in the Order of Australia.

Lane became publisher of Sunset, The Magazine of Western Living, in 1961, taking over management from his father. He led that publication’s rapid growth after World War II, and, with his brother, Melvin, he also ran Sunset Books. Sunset publications became and continue to be a major influence in helping families gain the most enjoyment from their homes, gardening, food and travels in Western America. Sunset publications are valuable resources in several Cal Poly departments including Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration; Architecture; and Environmental Horticulture. Lane has been a Cal Poly guest lecturer in several of these disciplines. Sunset magazine and the Lane family were early pioneers in protecting the environment.

Former chairman of Lane Publishing Co. and publisher of Sunset Magazine, Lane is a leader in publishing and community service and has served as a senior government official. A pioneer in environmental issues, he galvanized cooperative initiatives between environmentalists, government agencies and industrialists to spawn groundbreaking preservation efforts. Lane will give the keynote address on Sunday, June 15 with his wife Jean.

Cal Poly expects as many as 30,000 visitors to campus for the commencement ceremonies.

For more commencement information, visit http://studentlife.calpoly.edu. For parking information, tune to Cal Poly’s AM 1610 Radio Alert System.

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