Ceremony variety works to please . emoststudenlspro1:>- ably pictured themselves graduating in May, a small minority of graduates chose, for a variety of reasons, to walk in July or December. May graduation, which was held in the Ganus Athletic Center, was the most attended of the three, with 538 students graduating in 2004 compared to the july graduation with 215 students and the December ceremony with 278 graduates. Graduate Mark Sullivan said even though he graduated in May 2004, he actually planned on graduating the year before. However, Sullivan said it did not make a difference when he graduated. "Apiece of paper is a pit.'Ce of paper whenever you get it," Sullivan said. "I wasn't there for the ceremony, just to get the piece of paper." In spite of the delay, Btent Adams, a july 2004 graduate, said he preferred the summer graduation because it was more personal. "It was short, which was excellent," Adams said. Adams said he favoned the smaller graduations because of the intimate setting. "I would almost prefer to graduate in July or December because the May graduation is so huge you can't find your friends," he said. "But in July everyone is done and all your friends are able to be there." The May 2004 graduation speaker was Secretary of Education Rod Paige while the July speaker was Nick Hamilton, the evangelist of the Windsong Church of Christ in Little Rock. Dr. Don England, distinguished professor of physical science, was the December graduation speaker. "Dr. England is a distinguished professor who is highly regarded by staff, faculty and graduates alike," President David Burks said. Cindy Hunter, secretary in the president's office, supplied the names of the guest speakers for the july and December graduations. "Most of the time for the july and December graduation [ceremonies] we ask someone local to speak," Hunter said. "It's usually a relative of one of the graduates, someone who has good speaking ability." Penny McGlawn graduated with a master's degree in May 2004 and said she was glad she graduated when she did. "I worked so hard for my degree, and I wanted to walk and to see my friends walk," McGlawn said. However, she said she sympathized with her parents and grandparents. "Its super-uncomfortable to sit so long in the gym," McGlawn said. "My husband, Jason, is graduating in December and we're looking forward to the comfy seats in the Benson." -ALISA MOLONEY 41 - GRADUATION
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