About 8,206 degrees were awarded at the University of Washington’s 116th Commencement held June 15. For the first time in University history, a separate commencement ceremony was held in Tacoma on June 14 to mark the graduation of five seniors from the branch campus.
The guest speaker at both the morning and afternoon sessions in Seattle was Seattle Mayor Norm Rice, ’72, ’74. About 5,450 bachelor’s degrees were awarded, including 2,833 given to June graduates. Master’s degrees were given to 1,925 students; Ph.D.s were handed to 455; and professional degrees in law, medicine, dental surgery and pharmacy went to 376 students.
Free copies of the 1991 commencement program are available from the Office of Public Exercises, 459A Schmitz Hall, PB-14, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195.
The Tacoma branch’s first commencement ceremony featured State Representative Brian Ebersole CD-Tacoma) as guest speaker.
Both Tacoma and Bothell branches offer a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies for students who have already completed their first two years of college.
Among the five Tacoma graduates was Charles (Kelly) Creso, 38, a Tacoma real estate agent who already holds two B.A.s from Oregon State University. Creso says his UW courses were just as demanding as those at OSU, and that the teaching has been excellent. “I almost hate to leave the campus because I have enjoyed it so much,” he told the press prior to graduation. Creso says that the opening of the branch sparked his return to college. “I’m not one that likes to commute.”
Other Tacoma graduates were Manuel Sunday, 29; Shelle Barnes, 23; Michael Boyte, 29; and Patti Saunders, 43. The UW branch in Bothell had no graduating seniors this year.