HAMBLIN KEYNOTES SATURDAY'S COMMENCEMENT AT SOUTHEAST

Just over 500 students will graduate Saturday during commencement exercises at Southeast Missouri State University.

Dr. Robert Hamblin, Southeast professor of English, winner of the 1997 Faculty Merit award and director of the Center for Faulkner Studies, will present the commencement address. The event begins at 2 p.m. in the Show Me Center.

Degrees will be conferred on 479 undergraduates and 30 graduate students.

Leading the class of undergraduates are three students. Michael Aulbert of Lake St. Louis, and Carol Reynolds of Ste. Genevieve, both are graduating with cumulative grade point averages of 4.0. Graduating with a 3.982 grade point average is Joy Sumner of Arnold

Also to be recognized are three students who will graduate with "Academic Distinction in the Department of Major."

Students who graduate with academic distinction in the department of major complete a special project in conjunction with a faculty committee, department chair and dean after having completed at least 75 credit hours of course work with a minimum 3.25 grade point average in their major department and a minimum 3.0 overall grade point average.

These honorees include: Cynthia Barnett of Bertrand, school of university studies; and Barbara Grebing of Perryville, and Susan Lynne Laurentius of Imperial, both of the department of psychology.

An Honors Convocation is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday in Academic Auditorium, during which 56 undergraduates and 14 graduate students will be honored.

The undergraduates have earned at least a 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale or met the criteria listed above. The graduate students have achieved at least a 3.9 grade point average. Dr. Margaret Theobald, professor of secondary education, will present the Honors Convocation address.

Hamblin, who will present the commencement address, will be awarded a 1997 Governor's Award for Excellence in Teaching Dec. 11. He is one of a select number of faculty members, representing all Missouri colleges and universities, scheduled to receive the awards in St. Louis. The award recognizes faculty commitment to excellent education for Missouri citizens. Southeast nominated Hamblin for his dedication to higher education, his achievements in teaching, and his commitment to public service.

Hamblin has been employed at Southeast since 1965. He holds a bachelor of science degree in education with a major in English from Delta State University in Cleveland, Miss.; a master of arts degree in English from the University of Mississippi in Oxford; and a doctorate of philosophy in American literature from the University of Mississippi in Oxford.

Hamblin has taught a wide variety of courses at Southeast, including American Literature, Southern Literature, Faulkner, Literary Criticism, Sport Literature and The Bible in Literature and Composition.

He previously served as director of freshman English and acting chair of the Department of English. He served on the ad hoc committee that designed and implemented Southeast's nationally recognized University Studies program, and he has served on a number of departmental, college and University committees, including those governing athletics, promotions and tenure.

The director of the Center for Faulkner Studies at Southeast Missouri State since 1989, Hamblin is an internationally recognized Faulkner scholar.

Hamblin and his wife, Kaye, have two children, Steve, and Laurie.