FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COMMENCEMENT TIP SHEET

May commencement at Southeast Missouri State University is planned for 2 p.m. May 11 in the Show Me Center. An Honors Convocation is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. May 11, also in the Show Me Center. Several candidates for graduation have reported interesting feature stories about themselves that could be developed in connection with spring commencement. These story tips are listed below. Students will begin assembling for commencement at 1:15 p.m. in the Student Recreation Center. The Southeast News Bureau is happy to make arrangements for you to meet any of the graduates listed below between 1:15 and 1:45 p.m. May 11 in the Student Recreation Center. Contact names and phone numbers of students whose graduation stories are of feature interest are listed below. Please do not hesitate to call the News Bureau at (573) 651-2552 if you need assistance in making interview arrangements of if you have questions about these or other commencement stories.

Roy Ishaak of Marble Hill, Mo., will graduate from Southeast with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree majoring in management information systems. Ishaak migrated to the United States 16 years ago from the Republic of Suriname in South America and now is a U.S. citizen. He will be the first in his family to graduate from college. His mother is Nissa Nazier of Austin, Texas. Roy Ishaak can be reached at (573) 238-1117.

Justin King of Cape Girardeau, will graduate from Southeast with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree majoring in art, 3D imaging and computer animation option. He will be the first to graduate from Southeast with a 3D imaging and computer animation option. His parents are James Vaughn of Essex, Mo., and Rhonda Uthoff of Dexter, Mo. Justin King can be reached at (573) 651-6050.

Aaron Fadler of Bonne Terre, Mo., will graduate from Southeast with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology degree majoring technical graphics. He is the third generation in his family to graduate from Southeast. His parents are Kenneth and Mary Fadler of Bonne Terre, Mo. Aaron Fadler can be reached at (573) 339-5607.

Robert Guard of Cape Girardeau, will graduate from Southeast with a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minoring in political science. He is the third generation in his family to attend Southeast. His father, Paul H. Guard III, attended Southeast, as did his uncle, Perry Guard. Robert's grandfather, Paul Howard Guard, Jr., graduated in 1961 from Southeast with a bachelor of science degree in math and physics. He taught at Illmo-Scott City High School for many years. Now retired, he teaches part time at Eagle Ridge. Robert's parents are Kenny and Donna Wallace of Cape Girardeau. Robert Guard can be reached at (573) 332-8534.

Robert Ressel of Oran, Mo., will graduate from Southeast with a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in visual communications with a concentration in design. He is a 44-year old disabled veteran. His parents are Herman and Doris Ressel of Oran, Mo. Robert Ressel can be reached at (573) 262-3123.

Mae Jackson of Blytheville, Ark., will graduate from Southeast with a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in criminal justice with a concentration in corrections and minoring in sociology. Jackson is the only one of 18 children to attend a four-year school. Her parents were "share-croppers." In 1997, she became one of 500 dislocated workers in Blytheville, in which 150 of the dislocated workers enrolled in Mississippi County Community College. Jackson has commuted for the past two years to Southeast from Blytheville and has been one of the oldest students in all of her classes. Her mother is Ethel Dorsey from Farmington, Mo. Mae Jackson can be reached at (870) 763-4510.

Tye DeCramer of Cape Girardeau, will graduate from Southeast with a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in criminal justice, law enforcement option. DeCramer's family has a history of attending Southeast. His sister and mother will be graduating from Southeast in December. His uncle, Dr. Kenneth Stilson, is the chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance at Southeast, and his aunt, Dr. Rhonda Stilson, is a professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance at Southeast. His parents are Tom DeCramer of Coal Valley, Ill., and Easy Stilson of Cape Girardeau. Tye DeCramer can be reached at (573) 335-0007.

Scott Lucchese of Poplar Bluff, Mo., will graduate from Southeast with a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in chemistry. Lucchese left home at 18 to join the Air Force. He was a noncommissioned officer (NCO) in the service for 14 years, but left to follow his dream of becoming a doctor. Lucchese has been accepted into the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine. He recently was awarded an $8,000 national Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship for his graduate study at the University Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine during the 2002-2003 academic year. His mother is Donna Sargent of Clubb, Mo. Scott Lucchese can be reached at (573) 776-7706.

Leonna Essner of Benton, Mo., will graduate from Southeast with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in mass communication, journalism option, with a minor in criminal justice. Her sister, Kari Wilhelm, also will graduate from Southeast with a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in human environmental studies with an option in dietetics. Essner's and Wilhelm's parents are Tim and Jeanne Essner of Benton, Mo. Leonna Essner can be reached at (573) 545-3444.