Graduate School awarded over 200 master’s degrees and 80 doctoral degrees during fall commencement ceremonies on December 9 at Bramlage Coliseum. The graduate faculty, the Graduate School team, the President’s Cabinet, the Alumni Association, and family and friends celebrate with the students as we welcome the new group of graduate into the K-State family.
During the ceremony, the university presented two distinguished university faculty awards – the University Distinguished Professors awards and the Distinguished Graduate Faculty awards.
Vara Prasad, professor of crop ecophysiology and Bharat Ratra, professor of physics, received the University Distinguished Professors lifetime title, the highest honor the university bestows on its faculty members. The distinguished professors are appointed following a university wide nomination and evaluation process conducted by the Office of the Provost.
Timothy Keane, professor of landscape architecture and director of research, scholarly and creative activity for the College of Architecture, Planning & Design and Zongzhu Lin, professor of mathematics received the Commerce Bank and W.T. Kemper Foundation Distinguished Graduate Faculty award. The award honors Keane and Lin for their outstanding scholarly achievements and contributions to graduate education at K-State.
K-State President Richard B. Myers ’65 presented the commencement address. During his address President Myers offered words of encouragement and hope for the new graduates. Myers said he graduated from K-State during a turbulent decade, where students had to face numerous challenges. Although there are still many problems to be solved today on a local, national and international level, he said K-State’s 2016 graduates have the tools it will take to make a positive difference.
“We are an interconnected world, and that’s good,” Myers said. “Because that’s how we’re going to help solve some of these problems. I’m inspired by you all — you all have the energy and the enthusiasm and the vision and the passion to change things. The world needs your leadership.”
Myers encouraged the students to uphold values such as integrity, selfless leadership and service, critical thinking, and continued learning. He is looking forward to seeing what the next generation of Wildcats will accomplish.
I couldn’t be prouder, as your new president at Kansas State University, to stand up here and look over this group,” he said. “Congratulations again, and go ’Cats!”
View the commencement program here.