Bachelor’s and master’s degrees were awarded to 529 graduates—317 undergraduates and 212 master’s degree candidates—May 19 during two ceremonies held on the residential quadrangle.
Antonio Mendez, artist, author and former Central Intelligent Agency officer, delivered the commencement address during the 10 a.m. undergraduate ceremony. He single handedly engineered and led the rescue of six American diplomats from Iran during the 1979 hostage crisis, a daring operation that was the focus of the 2012 Oscar award-winning film, Argo.
Retired Army Col. Zygmunt Dembek, M.S. ’82, senior scientist for the Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine’s Cooperative Biological Engagement Program at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., spoke at the 3 p.m. graduate school ceremony. Throughout his career he has focused on biodefense preparedness and biochemical research related to countering bioterrorism and infectious disease outbreaks.
They, along with chair of the board of trustees Cheryl Brown Dreiling ’69, one of the longest serving members of the board—her tenure has spanned the terms of three presidents—received honorary degrees.
Former trustee Charlie Nicodemus, LHD ’05, and his wife, Kathryn, LHD ’05, were each recognized at the undergraduate ceremony with the Hood College Presidential Medal of Excellence for their generosity and commitment to the College.