Friday, June 17, 2011 at 6:30 p.m., we welcomed over 500 graduates, guests, and faculty to a networking reception held in the Cherry Blossom Ballroom of the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center. The event allowed graduates, guests, faculty, and staff to meet and network with one another! In addition, the revealing of our new mascots took place during the reception! Stay tuned for the official reveal of the mascots in the near future.
On the same evening at 7:30 p.m., we held an Academics Award Banquet honoring the recipients of our Academic Scholar, Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Alumni, Distance Education and Training Council, and Faculty Anniversary Awards. Both events were a great success and we look forward to sharing pictures with everyone shortly! View the list of all the recipients for the awards presented on Friday night.
Saturday, June 18, 2011 at 9:00 a.m., we held our Class of 2011 Commencement Ceremony at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. The graduating class consisted of nearly 6000 graduates from all over the world. We welcomed over 4500 people to the Gaylord National Resort, including over 600 graduates and their guests, faculty, and staff. Graduates and their guests represented nations from around the globe, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, Slovakia, China, and Kosovo.
Notable Speakers
Welcome & Mistress of Ceremonies | Dr. Karan Powell
Invocation | Lt. Cmdr. Stephen Fisher
Outstanding Creativity & Innovation Award Presenter | Dr. Katherine Zatz
President’s Address | Dr. Wallace E. Boston
Student Honors Address | Lt. Cmdr. Stephen Fisher
Commencement Address | Mrs. Gayle C. Manchin
Graduate Overseas Video
To honor our graduates currently serving overseas and unable to attend the ceremony, a video clip was played during the ceremony that included messages from deployed graduates to their fellow graduates in attendance. Awards
Each year, we recognize specific individuals during the ceremony for two unique and prestigious awards. The award recipient for the Outstanding Creativity & Innovation Award, as well as the recipients for the President’s Award are unveiled during the ceremony. The recipients for the Class of 2011 are below:
Outstanding Creativity and Innovation Award | Dr. Larry Flegle
President’s Award Graduate Recipient | Lt. Cmdr. Stephen Fisher
President’s Award Undergraduate Recipient | Stacey Zimmerman |
