University announces May commencement speakers


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Commencement speakers for May graduation ceremonies were announced April 10 by Central Michigan University.

More than 3,000 students will receive degrees from May 5-7 in McGuirk Arena and Plachta Auditorium, according to a university press release. The ceremony for the College of Medicine's first graduating class will take place May 7.

Commencement speakers include:

  • Muriel Howard, president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities
  • Gail Torreano, retired senior vice president of AT&T Employee Communications and Corporate Sponsorships
  • Carter Oosterhouse, star of TLC's "Trading Spaces"
  • Pamela Spencer, director of regulatory affairs and product stewardship at ANGUS Chemical Co.
  • A. Lorris Betz, senior vice president emeritus of Health Sciences at the University of Utah.

Howard will speak at the doctoral ceremony, which is at 4 p.m. on May 5 at Plachta Auditorium. Howard is the first African-American and the first woman to become president of one of six presidentially-based higher education associations located in Washington D.C. She will receive a Doctor of Public Service honorary degree.

Torreano will speak at the 9 a.m. undergraduate ceremony. Torreano is a 1972 graduate of CMU and has served as chair of the CMU Board of Trustees. She will receive a Doctor of Communal Science honorary degree.

Oosterhouse will speak at the 1:30 p.m. ceremony. He has starred in more than five shows on TLC, NBC and ABC. The 2000 CMU graduate founded Carter's Kids, which seeks to put a halt in child obesity. He will receive a Doctor of Public Service honorary degree.

Spencer will speak at the 6 p.m ceremony. The 1996 CMU alumna has teamed up with the American Chemical Society to create a toxicology training series. She has served chair for the Executive Alumni Advisory Board for the CMU College of Science and Engineering from 2011-15. She will receive a Doctor of Science honorary degree.

Betz will address the first-ever CMED graduating class at 2 p.m. on May 7 in Plachta Auditorium. Betz has been named one of Utah Business Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in Utah. He also serves as the University of Utah Health Care CEO and dean of the School of Medicine. He will receive a Doctor of Science honorary degree.

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Evan Sasiela is the University Editor at Central Michigan Life and a senior at Central Michigan ...

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