Around 750 graduates from the class of 2005 are expected to receive their diplomas on Saturday, December 10 during Grand Valley's winter commencement ceremony. The ceremony runs from 10 a.m. to noon in the Van Andel Arena in downtown Grand Rapids.
International Aid president and CEO Myles D. Fish will deliver the commencement address and will be honored with an honorary doctorate of public service degree. Vondie M. Woodbury will be given the Distinguished Alumni Award and Caryn King will be given the Outstanding Educator Award.
About the honorees:
Woodbury earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Grand Valley in 1971 and a master's of public administration degree from Western Michigan University in 1976. She had served as campaign manager for two candidates for U.S. Senate seats and later as chief of staff for former U.S. Sen. Donald Riegle, Jr. During her years with Riegle, Woodbury helped create strategies to increase awareness of public policy and programs for minorities, unemployed workers, homeless and medically underserved individuals. She also served as executive director of the Michigan Coalition of Runaway Services. She lives in Muskegon with her husband, Greg.
While pursuing her doctoral degree at the University of Pittsburgh, King worked in inner-city schools helping elementary teachers apply research and theory in their classrooms. The data she collected was for an Inquiring School grant, a collaborative project between Pittsburgh and Stanford universities.
King earned a bachelor's degree in English from Alfred University, a master's degree from Slippery Rock University and a doctorate in instruction and learning from the University of Pittsburgh. She lives in Comstock Park.
For more information about commencement, please contact LeaAnn Tibbe at [email protected].
