UNIVERSITY WILL CONFER 925 DEGREES ON SATURDAY

Southeast Missouri State University will confer degrees on 925 students during spring commencement Saturday.

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, will deliver the commencement address to the graduating class of 845 undergraduates and 80 graduate students. The commencement ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. in the Show Me Center.

Leading the class of undergraduates are 13 students with perfect grade point averages of 4.0, 13 honors scholars and five students earning academic distinction in their majors.

The honor scholars had to complete senior research projects to qualify for the recognition.

Area students graduating with perfect grade point averages: accounting majors Michelle Landewee of Leopold and Cassandra Wilson of Grand Tower, Ill., early childhood education major Michelle Orrell of Jackson, and psychology major Nicole Renick and philosophy major Christopher Robertson, both of Cape Girardeau.

Prior to commencement, 46 graduate students and 171 undergraduates will be honored at 11 a.m. in Academic Auditorium. The undergraduates have earned at least a 3.5 grade point average and graduate students, at least a 3.9 grade point average.

Dr. Sue Haugland, professor of human environmental studies and the 1996 recipient of the school's Faculty Merit Award, will address the honors students.