WHAT: University of Nevada, Las Vegas Winter 2007 Commencement Ceremony
WHEN: Friday, December 21, 2007, beginning at 9 a.m.
WHERE: Thomas & Mack Center at UNLV
DETAILS: More than 2,000 UNLV undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to participate in this year's winter commencement ceremony, an increase of approximately one-third over last December.
UNLV will honor six graduating students during the ceremony for their outstanding achievements both at the university and in the community (please see a full list below). In addition, the university will recognize former UNLV All-American basketball player Larry Johnson, who led the Runnin' Rebels to the NCAA championship in 1990.
For more information, including details on attending commencement, members of the public may visit http://commencement.unlv.edu.
Winter 2007 Commencement Outstanding Graduates:
Sherry McKnight - Bachelor of Arts in African-American Studies
Tony Terrell - Master of Education in Higher Education Leadership
Sherry McKnight and Tony Terrell are mother and son outstanding graduates.
Sherry credits Tony as her inspiration to be the first of 12 siblings to earn a bachelor's degree. After raising Tony and his two siblings as a single mother, Sherry earned two associate degrees from the College of Southern Nevada and has now earned a bachelor of arts degree in African-American studies from UNLV. Driven by the pursuit of higher education, Sherry will pursue a master's degree in education from UNLV, with a goal of becoming an art teacher.
Tony currently works as an academic advisor for the UNLV Division of Health Sciences and is receiving a master's degree in sports education leadership. A former UNLV Rebel football standout, Tony returned to UNLV after a brief stint with the San Diego Chargers. He has since dedicated his career to being a role model, firmly believing that being a successful student is just as important, if not more, than being an athlete. Tony credits tremendous support and encouragement from his mother for his success.
Mae-Li Amick Allison - Master of Arts in Communication Studies
Mae-Li Amick Allison is accomplished both in the classroom and in the community. A captain in the United States Air Force, Mae-Li has balanced the rigors of a 12-year military career and the demands of graduate academic work to earn her second master's degree in less than two years--all while carrying a 3.97 GPA. While at UNLV, Mae-Li co-authored two academic papers on communication studies that will be presented early next year, submitted two additional manuscripts currently under review, and played violin in the UNLV orchestra.
Zachary Quine - Bachelor of Science in Physics
Zachary Quine overcame a childhood battle with cancer before finding success in undergraduate research at UNLV. As a student in the department of physics, Zachary performed high-level research with UNLV faculty at Argonne National Laboratory; worked on a laser spectroscopy project at UNLV as part of the NSF-funded and highly competitive Research Experiences for Undergraduates program; and has co-authored at least five peer-reviewed papers, one of which he presented at a multi-university research conference. A promising young physicist, Zachary is currently being recruited by the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory.
Rebecca Hoffer - Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
Rebecca Hoffer is a political science honors student and UNLV student ambassador. She received numerous academic accolades, highlighted by the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship to study abroad in Malta. In 2007, Rebecca established UNLV as a ONE campus--part of a global campaign to raise awareness on issues of global poverty, hunger and disease. Due to Rebecca's efforts, UNLV is now one of the top ten ONE campaign campuses nationwide. Rebecca has accepted an internship with the U.S. State Department in North Africa, where she will work in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. Her ultimate goal is to work as a diplomat for peace and conflict resolution.
Valerian Kwigizile - Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering
Valerian Kwigizile has achieved remarkable success in both research and leadership while at UNLV. A native of Tanzania, Valerian has contributed greatly to the emerging field of transportation research by developing new approaches for estimating roadway capacity and investigating the effect of space on travel demand. Valerian completed six academic papers, served as president of the UNLV chapter of the Institute for Transportation, was a two-time recipient of the UNLV engineering summer scholarship, and was heavily involved in organizing the university's annual transportation conference. This summer, Valerian received the Roosevelt Fitzgerald Award for Outstanding Scholarship and Leadership from the Alliance of Professionals of African Heritage.
Larry Johnson - Bachelor of Arts in Social Science Studies
Larry Johnson led the UNLV Runnin' Rebels to back-to-back NCAA Final Four appearances in 1990 and 1991, highlighted by a National Championship in 1990. As a senior, he took home both the James Naismith and John Wooden Awards as college basketball's top player. Larry followed his college basketball career by being named the number one pick in the 1991 NBA draft, the 1991-92 NBA Rookie of the Year and a two-time NBA All-Star. After a successful professional career, Larry returned to UNLV to pursue a degree in social science studies. His studies fulfill a promise to his mother, allow him to be a strong role model for his seven children, and serve his goal of becoming a teacher, basketball coach and mentor at his former middle school in Dallas, Texas.
