June 11, 2009

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State University will graduate one of its largest classes ever during the school’s 140th commencement ceremony, scheduled for Saturday, June 13, at Reser Stadium beginning at 10:30 a.m. The ceremony will be broadcast live on Oregon Public Broadcasting.

The class of 2009 will include an estimated 4,295 students receiving 4,491 degrees, according to OSU Registrar Kent Kuo. Another 189 students will graduate from the OSU-Cascades Campus, raising to 4,680 the number of OSU degrees being awarded this week.

This year’s commencement speaker is Jen-Hsun Huang, founder and chief executive office of NVIDIA, a world leader in visual computing technologies,” who is an OSU alumnus. He also will receive an honorary doctorate from the university as part of the ceremony.  NVIDIA makes graphic processing units for such uses as cell phone displays, NASA workstations that navigate the Mars Rover and motion picture special effects, and employs more than 2,500 individuals globally.

OSU alumnus Ralph R. Peterson, chairman of CH2M HILL Companies Ltd., will receive the OSU Distinguished Service Award. Under his leadership, CH2M HILL has become a global power, with such  projects as the 2012 London Olympics, the expansion of the Panama Canal and the zero-carbon, zero-waste new city being built in Abu Dhabi, Masdar City.

Excluding the OSU-Cascades Campus graduates, OSU class of 2009 will be awarded a total of 3,533 bachelor’s degrees, 651 master’s degree and 307 doctoral and professional degrees. 

More information on OSU’s commencement, including driving routes to campus, parking and shuttle service information and more, is available at: http://oregonstate.edu/events/commencement/

Umbrellas are not permitted in Reser Stadium, but sun visors or rain ponchos are suggested. Sunscreen is also recommended. No tickets are required for the ceremony, and graduates may bring as many friends and family members as they wish.

Shuttle Service: The OSU shuttle bus will run throughout the campus and to and from Reser Stadium from 8 a.m. to 4 pm. Shuttle pick-up points adjacent to accessible parking places are marked by signs.

Routes to Campus: If you're traveling on Interstate 5, take Exit 228, Oregon Highway 34. Look for the signs reading, "Corvallis/Oregon State University." Go west on Highway 34 for about 10 miles to Corvallis. Follow the Highway 34 signs for the bypass to Reser Stadium. You'll turn left at the traffic light just before you enter Corvallis.

Parking on Campus: Parking lots throughout the campus are open for visitor parking, unless officially designated as no parking at all times. Disabled parking spots are reserved for cars with DMV permits.

In addition to the parking lot at Reser Stadium, there is a parking structure on 26th Street and Washington Avenue, as well as a parking lot along Washington Avenue between 14th and 15th Streets.

Parking for recreational vehicles is available in the parking lot at 13th Street and Washington Avenue. Additional RV parking is available south of Western Boulevard, behind the Hilton Garden Inn and softball complex.

 

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