LEWISTON, Idaho – Lewis-Clark State College will celebrate a graduating class of 746 students and a total of 855 degrees and certificates awarded at three outdoor commencement ceremonies at Harris Field on May 14.
Around 500 graduates are expected to participate in the ceremonies, including 56 graduates from the 2020 class, which was invited to walk after a virtual ceremony was held last year.
“We are thrilled at this unique opportunity to congratulate our wonderful graduates and their families in person,” LC State President Cynthia Pemberton said. “Earning a college degree is no small task, and these graduates accomplished it while facing the added challenges of a global pandemic. I am proud of our hardworking and talented faculty and staff for their incredible efforts this year, and I am very proud of these outstanding graduates.”
To limit gathering sizes and maintain compliance with COVID-19 protocols, the event will feature three ceremonies, grouped by LC State’s three schools. The Career & Technical Education (Technical & Industrial and Business Technology & Service Divisions) ceremony will be at 9 a.m., followed by Liberal Arts & Sciences (Natural Sciences & Mathematics, Humanities, Movement & Sport Sciences, and Social Sciences Divisions) at noon, and Professional Studies (Business, Nursing & Health Sciences, and Teacher Education Divisions) at 3 p.m.
Graduates have been provided tickets for a maximum of four guests each, and all guests and participants are required to wear face coverings and to adhere to social distancing protocols while on campus.
The event is not open to the general public, though all will be able to watch the ceremonies live at www.lcsc.edu/graduation.
The ceremonies will honor a number of individuals including retiring emeritus faculty members Terryn Berry, Lynne Bidwell, Jim Bowen, Sean Cassidy, Rhett Diessner, Ray Esparsen, Jane Finan, Jack Hutson, Gary Mayton, and Mark Smith. Abbey Roy will receive the Gertrude Mellen Dick Award, given to the student with the highest cumulative GPA for four years of undergraduate work; Marcus Gavelin will receive the President’s Award for outstanding contributions to the college; and Johanna Soderberg will be the recipient of the Provost’s Award, given to a high achieving LC State Coeur d’Alene graduate.
More details regarding the ceremonies are available at www.lcsc.edu/graduation.