Dr. Charles Roadman II, president and chief executive officer of American Health Care Association, will present the commencement address during exercises scheduled for 2 p.m. in the Show Me Center. Participating in the ceremony will be 881 undergraduate and 143 graduate students. Christopher Goeke, Southeast associate professor of music, will lead the National Anthem. The Southeast Chamber Orchestra will perform during the program, with Gary Miller, Southeast professor of music and chair of the Department of Music, conducting. Marc Fulgham, Southeast associate professor of music, will be featured as trumpet soloist.

Leading the class of undergraduates are 22 students with perfect 4.0 grade point averages. They are:

• Jonathan Anderson of North Richland Hills, Texas, who will receive a bachelor of science in education degree with a major in middle school education.
• Jennifer Burke of Wright City, Mo., who will receive a bachelor of science degree with a major in health management.

• Lynn Campbell of Cape Girardeau, Mo., who will receive a bachelor of science in nursing degree.

• Lesley Cannon of Festus, Mo., who will receive a bachelor of science in education degree with a major in elementary education.

• Jennifer Finley of Chaffee, Mo., who will receive a bachelor of science in education degree with a major in exceptional child education.

• Tiffany Hackett of Ironton, Mo., who will receive a bachelor of science in education degree with a major in social studies.

• Amber Hackstadt of Nashville, Ill., who will receive a bachelor of science in education degree with a major in mathematics education and a bachelor of science degree with a major in mathematics.

• Lucretia Karraker of Farmington, Mo., who will receive a bachelor of science in business administration degree with a major in accounting.

• Brandi Kissel of Norris City, Ill., who will receive a bachelor of science degree in health management.

• Terri Levins of Florissant, Mo., who will receive a bachelor of science in education degree with a major in elementary education.

• Linda Maidment of Kansas City, Mo., who will receive a bachelor of science degree with a major in mass communication.

• Julie McGowen of Cape Girardeau, Mo., who will receive a bachelor of science in nursing degree.

• Carey Melenbrink of Union, Mo., who will receive a bachelor of science in education degree with majors in English and middle school education.

• Jill Meyer of Marthasville, Mo., who will receive a bachelor of science in education degree with a major in elementary education.

• Daniel Pattengill of Park Hills, Mo., who will receive a bachelor of science in education degree with a major in elementary education.

• Gregory Patterson of Imperial, Mo., who will receive a bachelor of science degree in agriculture.

• Tammy Portell of Potosi, Mo., who will receive a bachelor of science in education degree with a major in elementary education.

• Brian Privett of Kennett, Mo., who will receive a bachelor of science degree in interdisciplinary studies.

• Jamie Schiller of O'Fallon, Mo., who will receive a bachelor of science in education degree with a major in elementary education.

• Emily Siebert of Chaffee, Mo., who will receive a bachelor of science in education degree with a major in elementary education.

• Jessica Smith of Chaffee, Mo., who will receive a bachelor of science in education degree with a major in elementary education.

• Cara Young of Cape Girardeau, Mo., who will receive a bachelor of science degree with a major in human environmental studies.

Five honors scholars will be recognized in the graduating class. They are Emily Goforth of Hillsboro, Mo.; Carla Lee of Rolla, Mo., Heather Jones of Alma, Ill.; Angela Kassel of Frohna, Mo.; and Barbara Seckel of Columbia, Ill. To be recognized as an honors scholar, students must complete 24 hours of honors coursework, six of which are at the senior level, and maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.25. Honors scholars also must complete a senior research project.

Five students will graduate with academic distinction in their major department. They are: Kendra Holder of Sparta, Ill., who will be recognized for academic distinction in the Department of Psychology; Helen White of Hatch End, England, who will be recognized for academic distinction in the Department of English; James Collins of St. Louis, Mo., Donna Kridelbaugh of Cape Girardeau, Mo., and Kyle Mara of Hornersville, Mo., all of whom will be recognized for academic distinction in the Department of Biology.

Students who graduate with "Academic Distinction in the Department of Major" complete a special project in conjunction with a faculty committee, department chair and dean. Students carry out the project after they complete at least 75 credit hours of course work with a minimum 3.25 grade point average in their major department and a minimum 3.0 overall grade point average.

Eighty-seven members of Phi Kappa Phi also will be recognized during commencement exercises. Phi Kappa Phi is an international honor society for academic distinction that brings together individuals from a variety of disciplines. The charter is only extended to colleges and universities meeting the society's rigorous standards. Southeast first chartered its Phi Kappa Phi chapter in 1992. The society is open to men and women in all academic fields who have demonstrated excellence of scholarship and integrity of character. Graduating seniors who rank in the upper 10 percent of their class; juniors who rank in the upper 7.5 percent of their class; and graduate and professional students who have a graduate grade point average of 4.0 and have an outstanding undergraduate record are eligible for consideration.

In addition, 28 members of Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society for college students, faculty, staff, administrators and alumni, will graduate. Students chosen for Omicron Delta Kappa are juniors and seniors with a minimum 3.5 grade point average who have demonstrated achievement in one of the following areas: scholarship; athletics; campus and community service, social and religious activities, and campus government; journalism, speech and the mass media; and creative and performing arts. The society is designed to recognize those who have exhibited a high standard of leadership and effectiveness in collegiate activities, to bring together student leaders from all sectors of collegiate interest; and to bring together members of the faculty and the student body on a basis of mutual interest and understanding.

An Honors Convocation is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. in the Show Me Center, during which 242 undergraduates and 44 graduate students will be honored. Dr. Walt Lilly, professor of biology and the recipient of the 2002 Faculty Merit Award, will present the Honors Convocation address and will serve as grand marshal at the commencement ceremony.

Among the undergraduates participating in the honors convocation, 59 will graduate summa cum laude, 64 will graduate magna cum laude, 110 will graduate cum laude and five will graduate with honors in associate degrees. The required undergraduate grade point average for graduating cum laude is 3.5 to 3.74. Students graduating magna cum laude must earn a grade point average of 3.75 to 3.89. Students graduating summa cum laude must earn a grade point average of 3.9 to 4.0. Graduate students participating in the Honors Convocation must have achieved at least a 3.9 grade point average.

The commencement speaker, Dr. Charles Roadman II, has more than 30 years of experience in the health care field. He currently serves as president and CEO of American Health Care Association (AHCA), a federation of 50 affiliated associations representing approximately 12,000 non-profit and for-profit nursing facilities, assisted living residences and subacute care centers. Roadman is responsible for the day-to-day management of the AHCA and for representing the profession in the media, on Capitol Hill and before the executive branch of government.

Prior to his position with the American Health Care Association, Roadman served as the surgeon general of the United States Air Force since 1996. He received his medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta and is certified by the Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and by the American College of Healthcare Executives. Roadman also is a member of the American Medical Association and the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, and fellows of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Aerospace Medical Association. He was certified as a CNA in 2002.