Embry-Riddle Commencement

NEWS RELEASE

Communications and Marketing Office
600 S. Clyde Morris Blvd.
Daytona Beach, FL 32114-3900

For more information, contact:
Phone: 386-226-6157
Fax: 386-226-6158

Contact: Mary Van Buren
Phone: 386-226-6525

Insitu CEO Steve Sliwa to Speak at Embry-Riddle Commencement

Dr. Sliwa is Former Embry-Riddle President

Daytona Beach, Fla., April 9, 2009 -- The Spring Commencement ceremony for 735 students of Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach campus will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 5, at the Ocean Center, 101 N. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach.

The guest speaker will be Dr. Steve Sliwa, a former Embry-Riddle president who is currently the CEO and president of Insitu, a designer and manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance in military and civilian operations.

Insitu is one of the fastest-growing technology companies in the Pacific Northwest and was acquired last year by The Boeing Company as a wholly owned, independently operated subsidiary. For his achievements at Insitu, Dr. Sliwa was named CEO of the Year in 2007 by Washington CEO magazine. He holds two honorary doctorates, including one from Embry-Riddle. He also is a former recipient of the University’s Eagle of Aviation Award, honoring his significant contributions to aviation.

Dr. Sliwa was Embry-Riddle’s third president, from 1991 to 1998, the youngest university president in the United States at that time. He is remembered for his many accomplishments in growing the University’s academic capabilities, developing partnerships with industry, and reinforcing the residential campus concept.

In addition, Dr. Sliwa, his wife Nancy, and his parents have supported Embry-Riddle athletic programs with generous donations through the years, with a special focus on helping the University build one of the premier NAIA baseball programs in the nation. Sliwa Stadium on campus was named for the family in 2006.

For those unable to attend the Commencement ceremony, live streaming video of the event will be viewable at the Senior Class Web site, www.eraugraduation.com.

Other Commencement-related activities include the following:

Saturday, May 2

Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony
10 a.m., Miller Instructional Center auditorium, Embry-Riddle.
The ceremony will be followed by a reception in the Miller Center atrium. Call (386) 226-6473 for more information. Sunday, May 3

Air Force ROTC Commissioning Ceremony
10 a.m., ICI Center, Embry-Riddle.
Thirty-four students will be commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Air Force. Preceding the ceremony, refreshments will be served at 9 a.m. in the ICI Center atrium. Call (386) 226-6880 for more information.

Catholic Mass
7 p.m., Embry-Riddle Interfaith Chapel.

Alumni Welcome Reception & Daytona 500 Experience
7 p.m., Daytona International Speedway.
Each graduate and up to four guests may enjoy free, unlimited use of all Daytona 500 Experience attractions, including Acceleration Alley, Dream Laps, and Speedplay. Light hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served. New alumni should RSVP at www.eraualumni.org before the event to receive a special leather portfolio gift at the reception. Call (386) 226-6155 for more information.

Monday, May 4

Master’s Hooding Ceremony4 p.m., ICI Center, Embry-Riddle.
This ceremony for graduates of Embry-Riddle’s four colleges will be followed by a reception for the graduates and their guests, also in the ICI Center. Call (386) 226-6849 for more information.

Graduate & Family Barbecue
4 p.m., Jack R. Hunt Lawn, next to the John Paul Riddle Student Center.
The Senior Class Council will host a complimentary barbecue along with various games and activities. For more information, send an email to senior.class@erau.edu.

Outdoor Movie: “The Dark Knight”
8:30 p.m., Jack R. Hunt Lawn, next to the John Paul Riddle Student Center.
Rain location: Miller Instructional Center auditorium, Embry-Riddle.
In this intense action film, Batman is driven to his limit as he battles the chaos unleashed by an anarchist mastermind known only as the Joker. This movie is presented free of charge by the Senior Class Council. For more information, send an email to senior.class@erau.edu.

Tuesday, May 5

Naval ROTC Commissioning Ceremony
2:30 p.m., Miller Instructional Center auditorium, Embry-Riddle.
Thirteen Navy ensigns and three Marine Corps second lieutenants will be commissioned. Call (386) 323-8990 for more information.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world’s largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, offers more than 30 degree programs in its colleges of Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business, and Engineering, educating more than 34,000 students annually in undergraduate and graduate programs. Doctoral programs in aviation and in engineering physics are pending approval by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) for the University to offer programs at the doctoral level. Embry-Riddle educates students at residential campuses in Prescott, Ariz., and Daytona Beach, Fla., through the Worldwide Campus at more than 130 campus centers in the United States, Europe, Canada, and the Middle East, and through online learning. For more information, visit www.embryriddle.edu.