USI to hold two Fall Commencement Ceremonies to honor Fall 2022 graduates

The University of Southern Indiana will hold two Fall Commencement Ceremonies on Saturday, December 17 in the Screaming Eagles Arena. 

The 10 a.m. Commencement Ceremony will recognize all graduates from the College of Nursing and Health Professions, the Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education and the School of Graduate Studies. The 1 p.m. Commencement Ceremony will recognize all graduates from the Romain College of Business, the College of Liberal Arts and the School of Graduate Studies. 

Both ceremonies will be held in-person. Tickets will not be required for guests. A livestream of each ceremony will be available at USI.edu/watch-commencement. 

Dr. Stephanie Young, Associate Professor of Communication Studies and a co-recipient of the H. Lee Cooper Core Curriculum Teaching Award (Dr. Leigh Anne Howard, Chair of the Communication and Media Department and Professor of Communication Studies is the co-recipient of this award), will present the Commencement Address at the 10 a.m. Ceremony. Young began her career at USI in 2009, and presently, in addition to her role as Associate Professor of Communication Studies, serves as the Director of the Introduction to Public Speaking course for which she is also the College Achievement Program Faculty Liaison. She has published about her pedagogical practices as a biracial and queer professor, and she has also published a textbook on researching popular culture. Young is known for her tireless dedication in teaching Core 39 courses and her outstanding service and contributions to the Core 39 curriculum.  

Dr. Melissa Stacer, Professor of Criminal Justice Studies and the 2022 recipient of the USI Distinguished Professor Award, will give the Commencement Address at the 1 p.m. ceremony. Stacer joined the USI faculty in 2010 and was promoted to Professor of Criminal Justice in 2021. She also serves as Director of the Master of Criminal Justice Program at USI, Vice President for the Indiana Academy of the Social Sciences, and is an active member for the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences and the American Society of Criminology. Stacer is known for her robust collection of research and her commitment to mentoring and advising students during their academic journeys. 

In Ceremonies for the Class of 2022, 653 students will be eligible to receive master's degrees, post-bachelor certificates, bachelor's degrees and associate degrees. As part of the Commencement Ceremonies, 134 students are graduating with academic honors: 16 will graduate summa cum laude, 47 magna cum laude and 60 cum laude. Of the graduates, 11 are University Honors Scholars-students who have successfully completed the Honors Program and can be recognized by the white honor cords worn with their regalia. 

All planning to attend are strongly advised to review the Screaming Eagles Arena Prohibited Items and Security Policy. 

Follow the Ceremonies on social media with the hashtag #USIGrad on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.