Senator Dolores Gresham to address TTU spring graduates

Senator Dolores Gresham, Chair of the Senate Education Committee, was first elected in 2002.  She served in the Tennessee House of Representatives for six years.  Senator Gresham represented District 94 which consists of Fayette County, part of Hardeman County, and South Tipton County.

She was assigned to the House Agricultural Committee and to the House Education Committee, both of which were her first choices.  She was elected to serve as Vice Chair of the Higher Education subcommittee.  Senator Gresham was elected Secretary of the House Republican Caucus Leadership team in 2005.

Senator Gresham possesses a track record of over 40 years in public and community service.  Her experience includes work as a member of several boards:

• Labor and Workforce Development Board
• Southwest Community College Foundation Board
• Fayette Haywood Enterprise Community Board
• Foster Care Review Board
• Board of Directors, Heart to Heart
• Partner and Co-manager, Somerville Livestock Market

Senator Gresham has also served as president of the Board for many different organizations including Fayette County Chamber of Commerce, Tennessee Cattlewomen’s Association, and Fayette Cares.  She is a member of the Fayette County and Tipton County Livestock Associations, the Tennessee Farm Bureau, and is a Life Member of the National Rifle Association, and the National Skeet Shooting Association.

Her education includes a Bachelors of Arts degree from Incarnate Word College in San Antonio, Texas.  She received a Masters of Arts degree from Loyola of New Orleans, and a Master of Science Administration from George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

Senator Gresham has received several awards throughout her years of community and legislative service:

• Citizen of the year 2000-Fayette County
• C.P. Boyd Award-WestStar
• Achievement Award 2002-Diocese of Memphis
• Legislator of the Year 2004-TN Development District Association
• Appreciation Award 2005-Fayette Haywood Enterprise Community
• Legislative Award 2006-TN School Board Association
• Community Builder Award 2006-City of Oakland
• Community Service Award 2006-City of Whiteville
• Legislator of the Year 2007-Southwest Tennessee Development District, Memphis Area Association of Governments

Senator Gresham has been endorsed by Tennessee Right to Life, National Rifle Association, National Federation of Independent Business, and Tennessee Realtors Association.

She and her husband, Will, both retired from the United States Marine Corps with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. They live on their farm just east of Somerville. They are both active in their church, St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church near Somerville, TN.

In her campaign for the Senate, Senator Gresham was often quoted: “I bring to this campaign a passion for people, a track record of principled leadership, and a history of serving the public trust. I will continue to serve you honorably and effectively.”

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR SPRING 2009 GRADUATION CEREMONY

Commencement Program:
The commencement program will begin with the macebearer leading the processional. The macebearer is followed by the marshalls, the platform party, the faculty, and the candidates. There will be two lines with the president leading the right line and the provost and vice president for academic affairs leading the left.
President Bell will have an opening statement and then will introduce the commencement speaker. Following the speaker's address, President Bell will extend appreciation to the faculty.

Dr. Jack Armistead, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, will begin the graduation proceedings.
After the diploma covers have been given out and the students returned to their seats, the President will confer degrees in absentia.

Seating:
We expect every seat in the Hooper Eblen Center to be filled for spring commencement.  We ask that guests fill all seats on each row in order to prevent others from searching for vacant seats.  Overflow seating will be provided next door in the Fitness Center gym with a live broadcast feed from the ceremony projected on large screens.  If a parent or other immediate family member is seated at the Fitness Center, they will be permitted to move to the Hooper Eblen Center when the name of their special graduate’s college or school is called.

Seating assistance and parking for visitors with disabilities:
Ushers will be located on the concourse of the Center to assist those with physical limitations or disabilities. A special section has been reserved for those honored guests at the top of section B. Family members can sit in Row V of Section B. An interpreter for the hearing impaired will be on the right side of the stage during the ceremony.
Parking for those with disabilities will be available on McGee Blvd (east side), in a special parking lot on the west side of the arena (just off Willow Ave), and in the lot south of the arena (if needed). Officers will be stationed at the semi-circle on the east side and the small parking lot on the west side to assist with handicap passenger drop-off. Please do not leave cars parked on semi-circle; this area is for drop-off only.

Photos and Video Recordings:
We ask graduates to please do not pause for pictures as they come off the stage during the ceremony, and certainly do not pass up anyone who has paused to have their picture taken. Also, students will remain standing until members of their entire row have received their diploma covers and have returned to their seats. Then the entire row will be seated.

Photos and DVD videos of Commencement will be available online after commencement at a link on the TTU Alumni webpage, as well as at http://www.tntech.edu/photo/, the TTU Photo Services webpage.  

Grads, friends and parents will be able to order prints directly in a variety of sizes and formats.  Graduates will be emailed a password to the site and will also receive a printed copy of the password included in the mail with their diploma.

Look for the second link on the Photo Services webpage to order the Commencement DVD, a full length video of the occasion, professionally produced by WCTE-TV Channel 22.

For questions, contact Photo Services at 931-372-3305 or photo@tntech.edu

Please be aware that individual recording equipment is not permitted on the arena floor.

Commencement Etiquette:
We sincerely request your attention and respect for the ceremony on Saturday morning. All of the students have worked very hard for the reward they will receive on Saturday, and we ask that you hold your celebration until after the ceremony.

Parking:
General parking will be available in lots to the east of Hooper Eblen Center. Parking for those with disabilities will be available on McGee Blvd (east side), in a special parking lot on the west side of the arena (just off Willow Ave), and in the lot south of the arena (if needed). Officers will be stationed at the semi-circle on the east side and the small parking lot on the west side to assist with handicap passenger drop-off.
All parking lots are available for parking during graduation. However, tickets will be given if you are not in a legal parking space. Please do not park in the grass, street, fire lanes, etc.
Because of the large turnout expected for commencement, parking will be a challenge.  You may want to ask your friends and family to arrive early in order to have time to make the walk to Hooper Eblen Center.

INFORMATION FOR GRADUATES

Participation and Address for Mailing Diploma:
Graduation candidates will receive an email that includes a link to the Graduation Office website.  ALL candidates (both undergraduate and graduate students) MUST reply to the message regarding participation and also to indicate where your diploma is to be mailed.
All diplomas will be mailed by May 29, 2009.  If you have not already provided mailing information you need to do so immediately.  

Rehearsal:
Rehearsal will be on Thursday, May 7th, at 4:00 pm CDT at the Hooper Eblen Center.
If there is a special pronunciation of your name or if you want only part of your name read, please see one of the candidate readers after rehearsal.

Program Listings:
The commencement program will be prepared for printing three weeks before the ceremony. After this time, no changes will be made to the program listing unless an error is found. Students who submit changes after this time will be told that the change will NOT be reflected in the program or on the lists for graduation. However, they may contact the reader at commencement rehearsal and ask him/her to call out their name in a different manner.

Academic Regalia:
There are certain university regulations for what may or may not be worn with your cap and gown. Caps shall be worn with the mortarboard level, long point to the back, front point well down on the forehead. Tassels shall be worn on the right side. If you lose your tassel or need to exchange your cap for another size, the Bookstore will open at 8 AM on Saturday. Women's caps shall not be removed during the exercise. Men shall remove caps during prayers, the playing of the Tech Hymn, and during the commencement address. If you forget when to remove your cap, please refer to the commencement program that denotes the proper times to remove caps.

Dress Restrictions:
In addition to the cap and gown (and in the case of graduate students, the hood), the only items approved by the Committee on Commencements, Convocations, and Academic Ceremonies to be worn with the academic regalia are: insignia for all official campus honors organizations.
Military uniforms must be covered by the gown. We suggest that the women wear a dress or skirt and dark shoes. We recommend that the men wear dark dress pants, dark shoes, light shirt, and a dark tie.

Commencement Etiquette:
A note about celebrating — please do not bring “silly string” products to the ceremony. Chemicals in the product react with the mats and flooring in the arena and cause extensive and costly damage. If you plan to celebrate during the ceremony, we respectfully ask that you use confetti or poppers instead.

Day of Commencement:
On Saturday morning all candidates for graduation should arrive at the Eblen Center by 9 A.M. for check-in and to find their place in line. Personnel from the Graduation Office and the Graduate School will be in the concourse area to assist with line-up.
As you file into the arena and as you get to your row, ushers will be standing by each row to ensure that the row is filled and everyone has a seat.
If anyone has received a Stafford or SLS loan while in school and has not already completed an EXIT interview in the Financial Aid Office, you need to do this before commencement.