Commencement Schedule Announced

The College of Sciences at the University of Louisiana will officially become the Ray P. Authément College of Sciences during a 3 p.m. commencement ceremony at the Cajundome Convention Center on May 24.

In addition, Authément will also award his grandson Philippe Prouet II his bachelor’s degree. Prouet, a Biology major, is the son of Authément’s late daughter Kathy.

At the 5:30 p.m. commencement ceremony for the Graduate School, UL’s Writer-In-Residence Emeritus Dr. Ernest J. Gaines will receive an honorary Doctorate of Letters for his work as an internationally acclaimed author. (See article here.)

The schedule for UL’s commencement ceremonies is:

Cajundome

• 9 a.m. College of General Studies – Tonya Bolden-Ball, president of the Lafayette Commission on the Needs of Women, will give the keynote address. The Commission's mission is to serve as a clearinghouse for information and services available to women in this community and to promote programs that improve the role of women in this community.

• Noon. College of Liberal Arts – Dr. Forrest Byrd is the keynote speaker. Dr. Byrd is an associate professor English. He joined the UL faculty in 1972.

• 3 p.m. B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration – Braxton (B.I.) Moody III will deliver the keynote address to students. Moody, for whom the college is named, is a founding partner in the CPA firm of Moody, Broussard, Poche & Guidry. He has also served as President & CEO of Chart House, Chairman of the Board for First National Bank of Lafayette, and Chairman of The Moody Companies and Louisiana State Newspapers. The college was named in his honor in 2002.

• 5:30 p.m. Graduate School – UL Writer-In-Residence Emeritus Ernest J. Gaines will received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters during this ceremony.

Cajundome Convention Center – Exhibit Hall (first floor)

• 9 a.m. College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions (no keynote address).

• Noon. College of Education – Jenna Lachney, the College’s Outstanding Graduate, will give the keynote address. Lachney, a 4.0 student majoring in Art Education and Sociology, is the daughter of Roger and Marguerite Lachney of Mansura.

• 3 p.m. College of Engineering – Randy Hanchey, a 1961 Civil Engineering graduate of UL, will give the keynote address. Hanchey recently retired after a long and distinguished career which included service with both the Federal and State governments. He worked for the Army Corps of Engineers until 1998 when he retired. He then accepted an appointed position with the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, where he served as the Deputy Secretary and as the Assistant Secretary of the Office of Coastal Restoration and Management during his 10 years with the state.

Cajundome Convention Center – Festival Ballroom (second floor)

• Noon. College of the Arts – Raymond Goodrich, owner of Lafayette Music, will give the keynote address. Goodrich, whose company instituted the Louisiana Showcase of Marching Bands, has established a scholarship for music students. All profits from the marching band festival are placed in the Lafayette Music/Raymond Goodrich Scholarship at UL. To date, more than $100,000 has been produced by the scholarship.

• 3 p.m. College of Sciences – Retiring President Ray Authément will be recognized during this ceremony. In addition, the college’s Outstanding Graduate Jared LeBlanc will give an address. LeBlanc, son of Brad and Cherrie LeBlanc of Lafayette, is a Physics major.