We’re all works in progress, no matter where we come from or where we are today.

More than 400 students will graduate during fall commencement.

Ceremonies will be Saturday, December 15, in the Special Events Center on the main FPU campus, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave., Fresno. Students in the traditional undergraduate, seminary and other graduate programs will graduate at 10:00 a.m., and students in the bachelor’s degree completion programs will graduate at 1:30 p.m.

The speaker at both events will be Pete C. Menjares, Ph.D., president of FPU.

The many faces that make up FPU were recognized at the Night of Cultural Celebration May 4 in Ashley Auditorium on the main campus.

A new feature at FPU’s commencement May 5 was recognizing those who attended 50 years ago as Golden Alumni.

All members of the Pacific College classes of 1960-1962 had their names listed in the commencement program. Golden Alumni were also invited to a luncheon in Ashley Auditorium in McDonald Hall after the morning graduation ceremony and received commemorative sashes. Pictured from left are: Carol (Becker AA ‘62) Friesen, Ken (AA ’62) Becker, Arthur Wiebe (president from 1960-1975) and Marilyn (Enns AA ‘62) Pittman.

Adult students face challenges as they return to school to complete their bachelor’s degree: family, work, sometimes health and personal issues. Romelia “Romie” Gonzalez has endured challenges enough for all 280 of her degree completion classmates.

D. Merrill Ewert told the 2012 graduates what he has told every Fresno Pacific University graduating class for a decade: “Commencement is my favorite day of the year!”

 

What’s significant about Ewert’s May 5 announcement is that this favorite day was his last as a college professor, administrator and president. Ewert, who became FPU president in June 2002 after a career at Wheaton College, the University of Maryland and Cornell University, will retire July 31, 2012. Pete Menjares, a faculty member and administrator at Biola University, will be 11th president.

Commencement for more than 500 new alumni will be Saturday, May 5 on the FPU main campus.

Ceremonies will be outdoors, weather permitting, on the East Hall Green on the main campus, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave. Commencement for traditional undergraduates and graduate students including the seminary begins at 10:00 a.m., and the ceremony for bachelor’s degree completion is at 6:00 p.m.

There are leaders—and then there are leaders.

That was the message Fresno County Superior Court Judge Robert H. Oliver gave to the newest FPU graduates at fall commencement on Saturday, December 17.

More than 350 graduates will receive degrees during the fall commencement Saturday, December 17. 

The graduate and traditional undergraduate ceremony begins at 10:00 a.m. Bachelor’s degree completion students receive their diplomas at 2:00 p.m. Both commencements will be in the Special Events Center on the main FPU campus, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave., Fresno, south of the Chestnut-Butler intersection. In all, 273 bachelor’s degree completion graduates will receive diplomas, along with 44 master’s students and 35 traditional undergraduates.