News

College to celebrate fall graduates

Some 1,215 ASU students are scheduled to graduate with degrees from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dec. 18. They will earn 1,053 bachelor’s degrees, 112 master’s degrees and 87 doctoral or terminal degrees.

The schools or departments with the largest number of undergraduate students scheduled to earn degrees this fall are:

- School of Life Sciences (149)
- Department of Psychology (129)
- Department of Political Science (100)
- Hugh Downs School of Human Communication (95)
- School of Social and Family Dynamics (88)
- Department of English (67)
- Department of Kinesiology (48)
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (46)
- School of Justice and Social Inquiry (43)
- Department of History (42)

“We literally are educating students for jobs not yet conceived, using technologies not yet invented, to solve problems not yet known,” says Quentin Wheeler, ASU vice president and dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

“As our students study English, mathematics, kinesiology or anthropology, they also major in changing the world. No preparation for the future could be more appropriate than the liberal arts and sciences,” he says.

Nearly a quarter of the students at ASU pursue degrees through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. It is the largest and most diverse college at ASU, encompassing the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences.

“The college is the intellectual heart of the university,” says Alan Artibise, executive dean.

ASU will hold the fall commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. Dec. 18 in Wells Fargo Arena. More information at www.asu.edu/ssc/commence.

Bobby Ochoa, a political science major in the college, will receive a Moeur Award from the ASU Alumni Association for graduating with 4.0 grade-point averages, with all his coursework taken at ASU. He is from Livermore, Calif.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will hold its convocation ceremony at 8 a.m. on Dec. 19 in Wells Fargo Arena. More information at clas.asu.edu/CLASconvocation.

The convocation student speaker is Dulce Juarez, a communication major. She represents the college’s graduating class and will address her peers during the ceremony. Juarez is an Arizona resident and a first-generation college graduate. She has the distinction of completing all her graduation requirements a semester early.

Juarez has received numerous awards and honors, including the Maria Elena Salinas National Scholarship Award. She volunteers with the ASU Sparks program, which is dedicated to increasing college enrollment among underrepresented youths. After graduation, Juarez plans to go into the ministry and wants to start her own nonprofit organization to help families and young people.

The convocation alumni speaker, Felisa Israel, earned a bachelor’s degree in communication in 1994. She has spent 15 years working for the National Basketball Association as director of live programming and entertainment. In that role, she orchestrated live productions and collaborated with teams to improve entertainment operations.

Israel served as director of entertainment for the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury, receiving a regional Emmy Award for her work. After her years with the NBA, she and a colleague started Entertainment League Productions, a sports entertainment production and marketing company that aims to provide fresh ways to entertain fans and boost revenue.

The college's more than 83,000 alumni are changing the world with untold civic, economic, scientific and social contributions. The college alumni chapter is comprised of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers who play a significant role in the community – providing ideas, supporting students and creating networking opportunities for members. More information at clas.asu.edu/alumni.

Ashley Lange, ashley.lange@asu.edu
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences