WORCESTER, Mass., April 6, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clark University will hold its 111th Commencement on Sunday, May 17, on the Jefferson Academic Center Green, rain or shine. The procession from the Kneller Athletic Center will begin at noon, followed by a University-wide ceremony.
This year's commencement speaker is Matt Goldman, co-founder of the iconic Blue Man Group and of the Blue School in Manhattan, the latter of which inspires creativity and innovative thinking in students from ages 2 through grade 8. Goldman epitomizes the Clark entrepreneurial spirit, combining his artistic talent with business savvy in his career. He has addressed a wide variety of organizations on the value of music and arts education in school curricula. Goldman received his bachelor's degree from Clark in 1983 and his M.B.A. in 1984. He will be accepting an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at Commencement.
The University expects to award degrees to 1080 students (530 bachelor's; 520 master's; and 30 doctoral.
Clark University will also confer honorary degrees upon the following individuals:
Mark Bittman is a journalist, food writer, and author of 14 books, including the bestselling "How to Cook Everything" series and "VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health . . . for Good." He is an Opinion columnist for The New York Times, and the lead food writer for the Times Magazine. His popular "Minimalist" column ran in the dining section of the Times for more than 13 years. Bittman uses his platform as columnist to promote ecological sustainability and the necessity of consuming food intelligently. He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from Clark University in 1971. Bittman will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.
Audrey Flack is a pioneer of Photorealism and a nationally recognized painter and sculptor. Her work is in the collections of major museums around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Museum of Modern Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art and the National Museum of Art in Canberra, Australia. She was the first photorealist painter to have work purchased by the Museum of Modern Art. Flack will receive an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts.
Prof. Francis K. Lelo, Ph.D., is vice chancellor of Laikapia University in Kenya, and associate professor of environmental studies. He has conducted extensive research in the areas of natural resources management, resource use, conflict resolution and local adaptations to climate change vagaries. He consults widely on climate change and environmental impact issues. Professor Lelo received his doctorate from Clark University in 1994. He will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.
More information about the 2015 Clark University Commencement can be found online.
Founded in 1887 in Worcester, Massachusetts, Clark University is a small, liberal arts-based research university addressing social and human imperatives on a global scale. Nationally renowned as a college that changes lives, Clark is emerging as a transformative force in higher education today. LEEP (Liberal Education and Effective Practice) is Clark's pioneering model of education that combines a robust liberal arts curriculum with life-changing world and workplace experiences. Clark's faculty and students work across boundaries to develop solutions to complex challenges in the natural sciences, psychology, geography, management, urban education, Holocaust and genocide studies, environmental studies, and international development and social change. The Clark educational experience embodies the University's motto: Challenge convention. Change our world. www.clarku.edu
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CONTACT:Jane Salerno
Director, Media Relations
Clark University, Worcester, MA
508-793-7554; jsalerno@clarku.edu
