Fall Commencement is Dec. 17

Virginia Tech professors, Diane Zahm and Peter Eyre, will deliver the keynote addresses for Virginia Tech's Fall 2004 undergraduate and graduate Commencement Ceremonies.

Students, parents and guest who seek detailed information on the event may go to the Fall Commencement website.

Commencement for undergraduate students will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 17, in Cassell Coliseum on Virginia Tech's campus. Bachelor's degrees will be conferred to 1,054 students completing fall semester classes and 522 students completing summer school classes. The Graduate School processional ceremony will follow from 3 to 5 p.m. in Cassell Coliseum where 812 students will receive master's degrees, 34 will receive Ed.D.s, and 209 will receive Ph.D.s.

Serving as an associate professor of urban affairs and planning in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies, Zahm's academic and professional background includes both community development and criminal justice experience. Her most notable experiences include conducting crime prevention through environmental design training for a variety of communities and organizations, and publishing, "Designing Safer Communities: A Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Handbook." Zahm was the 1993 recipient of the G. Paul Sylvestre Award given by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, for outstanding achievement in advancing criminal justice statistics in the states.

Eyre is the former dean of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (VMRCVM), and a professor in the department of biomedical sciences and pathobiology. Eyre has initiated outreach partnerships with the natural sciences program at Virginia Tech and continues to assist the college in advancing strategic initiatives. Eyre is the recipient of the Norden Award for Distinguished Teaching, the Sigma Psi Award for Excellence in Research, and the John N. Dalton award for distinguished service.

Members of the press are encouraged to attend the event. Opportunities for print and video cameras may be arranged during the ceremony upon request. Interviews with student speakers, keynote speakers, or university officials also are available upon request.