U.S. interior secretary to give commencement addresses

Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne will present the address during Shippensburg University’s two Spring Commencement ceremonies May 9 and 10.

Approximately 150 graduate students are expected to participate in the 7 p.m. ceremony May 9 in the H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center and about 1,000 undergraduate students are expected to participate in the ceremony beginning at 11 a.m. May 10 in Seth Grove Stadium.

In the event of bad weather May 10, the undergraduate program will be in Heiges Field House in two separate ceremonies. Members of the John L. Grove College of Business and the College of Education and Human Services will participate in the 11 a.m. ceremony and members of the College of Arts and Sciences will participate in the 3 p.m. ceremony.

Any decision to move indoors will be made by President William N. Ruud as soon as feasible. Individuals may call Hotline at 477-1200 about the ceremony. Final information will be available by 7:30 a.m. May 10. The information will also be posted on the university’s website.

No tickets are required outdoors and seating is first-come, first-served. If moved indoors, tickets are required and only ticket holders will be admitted. Tickets are for general admission and do not guarantee a specific seat. The number of tickets each graduate will receive will be announced the week of April 21. The program will be broadcast locally by SUTV as well as on the Internet.

The stadium will open at 9 a.m. for guest admission. Light refreshments will be available in the arena for guests who arrive early. Guests should be seated by 10:30 a.m. If the program is indoors, guests are asked to be seated 30 minutes before the start of each program. Doors to the field house will open at 9 a.m. for the 11 a.m. ceremony and no later than 2 p.m. for the 3 p.m. ceremony.

Seating may be reserved for guests with special needs. Please submit, in writing, his/her name and the name of one person only who will sit with the individual to the Office of University Communications and Marketing, Old Main 306, 1871 Old Main Drive, Shippensburg, 17257-2299, by May 2. Requests may also be made via e-mail to SUnews@ship.edu.

Kempthorne was confirmed as the 49th secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior on May 26, 2006, and took the oath of office that day. Prior to his confirmation as secretary,

Kempthorne served nearly two terms as governor of Idaho, elected first in 1998 and reelected in 2002. As Idaho’s governor, Kempthorne worked to develop consensus on management of Idaho’s and the West’s natural resources. He worked with his colleagues in Oregon, Washington and Montana to develop an historic bipartisan agreement on a state-based solution for returning salmon runs in the region.

Before his terms as governor, Kempthorne served in the United States Senate from 1993 to 1999. As a senator, he wrote, negotiated, and won passage of a bill to end unfunded federal mandates on state and local governments, and a substantial revision of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. He also worked to improve the quality of life for American active-duty military personnel, reservists, their families and veterans.

Kempthorne began his commitment to public service as the highly successful mayor of Boise from 1985 to 1992. During his seven years in office, he helped direct a renaissance in Idaho’s capital city that resulted in record growth, economic development and numerous national honors and recognitions for quality of life, business climate and family issues.

His peers have recognized him as a national leader. As governor, his colleagues elected him as chair of the National Governors Association in 2003. He has served as president of the Council of State Governments and chair of the Western Governors Association. In addition, he was also a member of the Homeland Security Task Force.

Further information about commencement is available from Dr. Peter M. Gigliotti, Commencement Committee chair, at 477-1202 or via e-mail at SUnews@ship.edu.