Congratulations to graduating Southeast students

Saturday will be a memorable day for 680 students and their families as Southeast Missouri State University celebrates winter commencement.

The honors ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the Show Me Center. Among those being honored will be a student who will graduate with academic distinction in the department major; one student who will be recognized with honors in associate degrees; 69 who will graduate cum laude; 57 graduating magna cum laude; 21 graduating summa cum laude; and 11 honors program students.

Commencement will be held at 2 p.m. at the Show Me Center. Graduating will be 549 undergraduates and 131 master's and specialist candidates.

The address will come from Dr. Kenneth W. Dobbins and his wife Jeanine Larson Dobbins. The university president will retire in 2015.

Dr. Kenneth Stilson, chairman of the Department of Theatre and Dance, will be the recipient of the Southeast Provost's Research, Instruction and Development for Excellence Award. Better known as the PRIDE Award, the recognition is bestowed to a faculty member who demonstrated excellence as a teacher and through scholarship and service.

We know many students will have their friends and families at Saturday's commencement, and we welcome each to Cape Girardeau for this milestone achievement.

To each of the students we extend our congratulations on this significant step in your education. A college degree represents a level of commitment to learning. But it also represents sacrifice -- by the students and their families. We salute each person who played a role in each student's success.