Most graduates choose to attend final ceremonies By Julie Naughton Senior Reporter__ Although a University of Nebraska Lincoln graduation ceremony can last longer than three hours, more than 65 percent of each graduating class elects to go through the ceremony, said Rodney Moore, assistant director of the Office of Registration & Records. Moore said the. university stages three graduation ceremonies each year. They arc in May, August and Decem ber. Students arc required to receive their diplomas in the period that they finish their degrees; for instance, someone that finished his or her de gree requirements in June would re ceive a diploma in August, Moore said. Traditionally, the largest gradu ation ceremony is in May. At that lime, about 2,000 students go through the ceremony, Moore said. The May graduation ceremony also is the long est, as this is the only graduation | where special awards from the Alumni | Association are granted and honorary jj degrees arc awarded. | The August graduation ceremony, B Moore said, traditionally is the small- § p.st About 775 to 800 sindpnK an m through that ceremony, he said. “Still, about 65 to 70 percent of | the students opt to go through the ceremony,” Moore said. Those that choose not to go through the cere mony usually have job-related rea sons, Moore said. The December graduation falls in between the two numbers and typi cally graduates between 1,1 (X) and 1,2(H) students, Moore said. All graduates' names arc Irsted in the graduation program which is dis tributed at commencement. However, the only diplomas taken to the Bob Devancy Sports Center are the diplo mas of those students w ho attend the ceremony. Moore said all graduation candi dates arc sent a letter about six weeks before commencement,asking il they plan to attend the ceremony. They arc required to respond by a certain date, and from that, numbers for the cere mony arc compiled. The graduates arc arranged by college. Doctoral students arc the only students that have their names read off at the ceremony. Undergraduate and graduate degree candidates are given numbers according to their college and walk to the stage in that order. This is because of time limita tions, Moore said. ii w v iV'tiu vii i vvvi y iiuiiit, at saj a May graduation,” Mtxire said, “The ceremony would be much longer than three hours. That would be over 2,()(X) names, for a typical graduation. ” All graduation ceremonies include a speaker, chosen by UNL Chancel lor and NU Interim President Martin Masscngalc and an invocation and a benediction given by a member of the local clergy; religions are rotated each year. This year’s speaker is Jack MacAllistcr, chief executive officer and chairman of the board for US West. As well, each graduation has live music before and during the cere mony. The national anthem, gradu ation recessional and processional and entertainment music arc played. For the May and December graduations, this music is played by the UNL Concert and Symphony Bands. For August graduations, the music is played by theCapitalCity Brass Ensemble, a group made up of UNL alumni. Class of '90 You’re Looking Great!! h We’ll Make Your Down Payment Announce Its New College Graduate Program ✓ NO MONEY DOWN ✓ WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF GRADUATION ^ NO PREVIOUS CREDIT NECESSARY ✓ Taxes, License & Insurance Not Included ■ ■■■— "■ '■ —- . .. —■ - ■ ■■ ii 990 PONTIAC LEMANS as $6988 LOW AS NO MONEY DOWN —FORI 990GRADS! 1990PONTIAC SUNBIRD as $ 9988 LOW AS W W V* W NO MONEY DOWN — F0R1990GRADS! 1990 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX