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Embry-Riddle Announces Commencement Speakers for Daytona Beach, Prescott, and Worldwide Campuses
JetBlue Airways President and CEO Dave Barger, NASA Astronaut Alvin Drew and U.S. Coast Guard Vice Admiral John Currier to Deliver Remarks
Daytona Beach, FL, and Prescott, AZ, April 25, 2012
Dave Barger
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will hold commencement ceremonies in May for students of its Daytona Beach, Prescott and Worldwide campuses. The graduating students will join Embry-Riddle’s 100,000+ alumni – a milestone achieved by the 86-year-old university in May 2011.
DAYTONA BEACH CAMPUS
Dave Barger, president and CEO of JetBlue Airways, will be the guest speaker at Embry-Riddle’s commencement ceremony for 831 students of its Daytona Beach campus to be held at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 13, at the Ocean Center, 101 N. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach.
PRESCOTT CAMPUS
Retired U.S. Air Force Col. B. Alvin Drew Jr., a NASA astronaut and Embry-Riddle alumnus, will be the guest speaker at Embry-Riddle’s commencement ceremony for 263 students to be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 5, on the Athletic Field of the Prescott campus, 3700 Willow Creek Road. This graduating class, one of the largest on record for the campus, is composed of 236 Prescott campus students and 27 Daytona Beach and Worldwide students.
WORLDWIDE CAMPUS
Vice Admiral John P. Currier, the U.S. Coast Guard’s deputy commandant for mission support and an Embry-Riddle alumnus, will be the guest speaker at Embry-Riddle’s commencement ceremony for more than 300 Worldwide Campus students to be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 5, in the ICI Center on the Daytona Beach campus, 600 S. Clyde Morris Blvd.
DAYTONA BEACH COMMENCEMENT DETAILS
Guest speaker Dave Barger helped found JetBlue Airways in 1998 as president and chief operating officer, and was named chief executive officer in 2007. He assumed the additional role of president in 2009. The airline began operations in 2000 from its base at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. JetBlue currently serves 70 destinations across the United States, the Caribbean, Mexico and Central and South America. Of the 2,400 pilots flying JetBlue’s 170-aircraft fleet, 350 are Embry-Riddle alumni. Under Barger’s leadership, in 2011 alone, J.D. Power & Associates named JetBlue the top low-cost airline for customer satisfaction for the seventh consecutive year, while various publications ranked it best airline, best U.S. budget airline, best airline website booking experience and best coach class experience. Barger is chair of the FAA’s NextGen Advisory Committee; a member of the Board of Governors and treasurer of the Flight Safety Foundation; and a president emeritus of The Wings Club. He will receive Embry-Riddle’s Eagle of Aviation award during the commencement ceremony to honor his significant contributions to aviation/aerospace.
The following commencement-related activities will be held on Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach campus at 600 S. Clyde Morris Blvd. unless noted otherwise. For more information on Daytona Beach commencement activities, visit the Senior Class website at http://eraugraduation.com.
FRIDAY, May 11
Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony
10 a.m., ICI Center
Graduating students will be commissioned as second lieutenants in the Army. A reception will follow the ceremony. Contact: (386) 226-6473.
Saturday, May 12
Master’s Hooding Ceremony
4 p.m., ICI Center
The 94 students taking part in the hooding ceremony should arrive no later than 3:30 p.m. for lineup. Following the ceremony, light hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be served.
Catholic Mass
6:30 p.m., Interfaith Chapel
Air Force ROTC Commissioning Ceremony
7 p.m., ICI Center
Twenty-five students will be commissioned as second lieutenants in the Air Force. The ceremony is preceded by a reception at 6 p.m. in the John Paul Riddle Student Center. Contact: (386) 226-6880.
Senior Class Lift Off – Daytona 500 Experience
7 p.m., Daytona 500 Experience, 1801 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach
The Alumni Association will welcome Class of 2012 graduates at this free reception. Each graduate may bring up to four guests. Light hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served. New alumni should RSVP through eaglesNEST at www.eraualumni.org before the event to receive a special leather portfolio gift at the reception. Contact: (386) 226-6919.
Sunday, May 13
Daytona Beach Campus Commencement
10 a.m., Ocean Center, 101 N. Atlantic Ave. (State Road A1A), Daytona Beach
Students should arrive at 8 a.m. for lineup, and the ceremony will begin promptly at 10 a.m. Event parking is $5. Flowers will be available for purchase at the venue. Family and friends of the students are invited to attend, and tickets are not needed for admission to the ceremony. Seating is first come, first served. Directions to the Ocean Center can be found at www.oceancenter.com. For more information, go to http://eraugraduation.com.
Naval ROTC Commissioning Ceremony
3:30 p.m., ICI Center
At the commissioning ceremony, 23 graduating midshipmen will take the oath of office; 17 will be commissioned as ensigns in the Navy and six as second lieutenants in the Marine Corps. A reception will follow.
PRESCOTT COMMENCEMENT DETAILS
Guest speaker Alvin Drew received a master’s degree in aerospace science from Embry-Riddle in 1995. He then began his career in the Air Force as a helicopter pilot followed by a rating in jet aircraft and later as a project test pilot, accruing more than 3,500 hours of flying experience while piloting 30 different types of aircraft. After joining NASA in 2000 for astronaut evaluation and training, Drew logged 612 hours in space as a crewmember on space shuttle missions STS-118 in 2007 and STS-133 in 2011. The STS-133 mission was a landmark event for Embry-Riddle, the first time two Embry-Riddle alumni astronauts – Al Drew and Nicole Stott – served together in space. In total, six Embry-Riddle graduates are current or former astronauts. Drew will receive Embry-Riddle’s Eagle of Aviation award during the commencement ceremony to honor his significant contributions to aviation/aerospace.
The following commencement-related activities will be held on Embry-Riddle’s Prescott campus at 3700 Willow Creek Road. More information can be found at the Prescott graduation website at http://prescott.erau.edu/graduation/index.html.
Friday, May 4
Air Force ROTC Commissioning Ceremony
2 p.m., Davis Learning Center
Fourteen students will be commissioned as second lieutenants in the Air Force. Contact: (928) 777-3721.
Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony
5 p.m., Davis Learning Center
Seventeen students will be commissioned as second lieutenants in the Army. Contact: (928) 777-3870.
Saturday, May 5
Prescott Campus Commencement Ceremony
10 a.m., Athletic Field
Students should arrive by 9 a.m. for lineup. Commencement will include a master’s hooding ceremony and a Marine Corps ROTC ceremony to commission three students as second lieutenants. A reception in the Eagle gym will follow commencement.
WORLDWIDE CAMPUS COMMENCEMENT DETAILS
Guest speaker Vice Admiral John Currier, the Coast Guard’s deputy commandant for mission support, is responsible for oversight of human capital, lifecycle engineering, acquisition, telecommunications, information technology and 13 support bases around the nation. Previously he was the Coast Guard chief of staff. A veteran pilot with over 6,000 flight hours in Coast Guard and Navy fixed and rotary wing aircraft, Currier is currently dubbed the “Ancient Albatross,” the name given to the longest-serving Coast Guard aviator on active duty. His numerous awards include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Commendation Medal and Achievement Medal in addition to other awards honoring his role in various rescue operations. He received an MBA from Embry-Riddle in 1998.
Friday, May 4
Worldwide Graduate Welcome Reception
6-8 p.m., Emil Buehler Aviation Maintenance Science Building, observation deck, Daytona Beach campus. The Alumni Association will welcome Class of 2012 graduates at this free reception, with family and friends also invited. Light hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served. New alumni should RSVP through eaglesNEST at www.eraualumni.org. Contact: (386) 226-6155.
Saturday, May 5
Worldwide Campus Commencement Ceremony
9 a.m., ICI Center, Daytona Beach campus
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world's largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, is a nonprofit, independent institution offering more than 40 baccalaureate, master's and Ph.D. degree programs in its colleges of Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business and Engineering. Embry-Riddle educates students at residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz., and through the Worldwide Campus with more than 150 locations in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The university is a major research center, seeking solutions to real-world problems in partnership with the aerospace industry, other universities and government agencies. For more information, visit http://www.embryriddle.edu, follow us on Twitter (@EmbryRiddle) and facebook.com/EmbryRiddleUniversity, and find expert videos at YouTube.com/EmbryRiddleUniv.
