All 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Universities will hold their Spring 2005 commencement ceremonies for undergraduate students on Saturday, May 7. Scheduled speakers, times and locations for the ceremonies follow:

Bloomsburg -- Steven Nesmith, assistant secretary, congressional and intergovernmental relations, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The program will be held at 2:15 p.m. at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds. Graduate students will receive their degrees at a separate ceremony to be held at 6 p.m., May 6, in Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts.

California -- Alumnus Jeff Berger, president and CEO of Heinz Foodservice, a division of the H.J. Heinz Company. The ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. in Hamer Gym. Graduate students will receive their degrees in a separate ceremony to be held at 7 p.m., May 6, also in Hamer Gym. Maggie Hardy Magerko, president of 84 Lumber Company, will address those receiving graduate degrees.

Cheyney -- Lezli Baskerville, the first female president & CEO of the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education, the umbrella membership association for the presidents and chancellors of the nation’s historically and predominately black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. on the Cheyney University Quadrangle.

Clarion -- State Senator Mary Jo White, who also will receive an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree. Two ceremonies will be held, both in Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium. Students in the College of Education and Human Services and School of Nursing will receive their degrees beginning at 10 a.m. The program for students in the College of Arts and Sciences and College of Business Administration will begin at 2 p.m. A separate program also will be held at 7:30 p.m., May 7, for students graduating from the Venango Campus.

East Stroudsburg -- State Senator Robert Mellow. The ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. in Koehler Fieldhouse.

Edinboro – The program will be held at 1 p.m. in McComb Fieldhouse. A speaker has not yet been identified.

Indiana -- Retired Admiral James Loy, former commandant and chief of staff of the Coast Guard. The ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. in Miller Stadium.

Kutztown -- Dr. Andrea Mitnick, professor of speech communication and theater and director of the University Honors Program. The program will be held at 10 a.m. in the Kutztown University Stadium.

Lock Haven -- Dr. Cora Marrett, senior vice president of the Wisconsin State System of Higher Education. The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. in Hubert Jack Stadium. In the event of inclement weather, the program will be held in Thomas Fieldhouse.

Mansfield -- Journalist and author Dr. Bob Arnot, former special foreign correspondent and chief medical editor for NBC News. The program will be held at 11 a.m. at Karl Van Norman Field.

Millersville -- Al Hunt, executive editor of the Wall Street Journal. Hunt and his wife, Judy Woodruff, will receive honorary doctoral degrees. Two ceremonies will be held, both in Pucillo Gymnasium. Students in the School of Humanities & Social Sciences and graduate students will receive their degrees beginning at 10 a.m. The program for students in the School of Science & Mathematics and School of Education will begin at 2 p.m.

Shippensburg -- Retiring University President Anthony F. Ceddia. The program will be held at 11 a.m. in Seth Grove Stadium. In the event of inclement weather, two ceremonies will be held, both in Heiges Field House. Students in the John L. Grove College of Business and the College of Education and Human Services and all graduate students would receive their degrees beginning at 11 a.m. The program for students in the College of Arts and Sciences would begin at 3 p.m.

Slippery Rock -- Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Dr. Francis Barnes, a Slippery Rock alumnus. The program will be held at 11 a.m. in N. Kerr Thompson Stadium. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved to Morrow Field House.

West Chester -- Howard Dodson, director and chief of the Schomburg Center in Black Culture at the New York Public Library. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. in Ferrell Stadium. In the event of inclement weather, two indoor programs will be held in Ehinger Gymnasium. Students in the College of Business & Public Affairs and the College of Education would receive their degrees beginning at 10 a.m. The program for students in the College of Arts & Sciences, College of Health Sciences and College of Visual and Performing Arts would begin at 2 p.m.

With nearly 106,000 students, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth. The 14 PASSHE universities offer more than 250 degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Nearly 400,000 PASSHE alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.

The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock, and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. PASSHE also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Kittanning, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg.