University College honored the 905 part-time students in the SU Class of 2001 at its 53rd annual Commencement Dinner May 4 that celebrated the first graduation of the new millennium with the theme "An Education Odyssey."
The first graduates of SU's distance education Independent Study Degree Program (ISDP) for the M.S. in engineering management are among the 694 completing master's degrees. The graduating part-time undergraduates include 203 baccalaureate and eight associate degree recipients, including a father who is graduating with his son.
Recognizing SU's evolution as a global learning community, the dinner was Webcast for the second time for benefit of the 128 distance education graduates who earned their degrees in the limited residency format of SU's I.S.D.P. as well as their families who could not attend. These "virtual" participants were as far west as New Mexico and as far south as Florida. An archive of the Web cast can be accessed via the Web site: http://www.suce.syr.edu/NewsEvents.
The student speaker was Donna K. Kapral of Hamilton, who was honored as the top part-time student with the presentation of the Nancy C. Gelling Award. In August, she will complete a degree in French language, literature and culture from The College of Arts and Sciences. With a 3.991 grade point average (G.P.A.), she also was the top student among all full- and part-time students initiated into Phi Beta Kappa this year.
Kapral was one of 10 part-time graduates named Alumni Scholars because they have earned G.P.A.s ranging from 3.991 to 3.815 (on a four-point scale).
Alumni Scholar Donna M. Fletcher of Auburn received the Sylvia Wyckoff Award for outstanding achievement in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, School of Art and Design.
Other Alumni Scholars and their programs of study are Laurence C. Davis of Phoenix, N.Y., computer science, L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science; Peggy N. Brown of Cortland and Mark A. Coolbeth of Minoa, information management and technology, School of Information Studies; Sandra L. Erickson of Tacoma, Wash., liberal studies, College of Arts and Sciences; Lisa A.C. Burns of Ithaca, painting, School of Art and Design, College of Visual and Performing Arts; Robert J. Dwyer of Syracuse, general studies in management, School of Management; Virginia R. Malecki of Voorhees, N.J., liberal studies, The College of Arts and Sciences; and Patricia M. Chlebus of Liverpool, nursing, College of Nursing.
Julie Ann Waterman of Canastota received the Hortence C. Cochrane Award for outstanding achievement by a graduating part-time social work student.
Elsie M. Singletary of Syracuse, a teacher assistant in the Syracuse City School District, received the College for Human Development's Bernice M. Wright Distinguished Achievement Award. It honors the candidate for the associate in science in family and community services who best demonstrates academic competence, excellence in the field setting and perseverance in earning the degree. A teacher assistant for the Syracuse School District, Singletary also is a grandmother responsible for the care of two grandsons, who she sometimes took to class with her when she could not get a babysitter.
Singletary is one of nine part-time graduates-three associate degree and six baccalaureate degree recipients-who took advantage of the special support services of the Higher Education Opportunity Program at UC, the only program in New York that accommodates part-time students to help them overcome educational and financial disadvantages.
The father-son team graduating this May are Charles Earle of Camillus, who began part-time undergraduate studies in Information Studies in 1992, and his son, Adam, who has been a full-time student majoring in management and information studies.
At the dinner, SUCE/UC awarded its Service Citations to special friends of SU part-time study.
Murray Tinkelman, professor in visual communications in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, who addressed the graduates on behalf of their teachers and mentors, received the Faculty Service Citation for 25 years of student service as senior program advisor to the M.A. in Illustration Independent Study Degree.
Carrier Corp. of United Technologies was awarded UC's Employer Service Citation for its commitment to its employees' lifelong learning. Nick Pinchuk, president of Carrier's Refrigeration Operations and a member of the School of Management's Advisory Board, accepted the award.
The Staff Service Citation was awarded to Carol Parke, recently retired associate librarian for Syracuse University Libraries, in appreciation for her commitment and support of the library interest of part-time SU students, especially distance education students in Independent Study Degree Programs.
Special Service Citations were awarded to members of Eta Pi Upsilon Alumnae in appreciation for the group having expanding the endowed scholarships initiated by the Class of 1923 as an expression of support of undergraduate women in SU degree programs at University College.
