Indiana State University Newsroom

Indiana State University will confer 699 degrees at the winter commencement ceremonies this weekend at the Hulman Center.

There will be two ceremonies: the graduate commencement ceremony is at 6 p.m. Friday (doors will open at 5 p.m.) and the undergraduate commencement ceremony is at noon on Saturday (doors will open at 10:30 a.m.).

Of the 699 degrees, 526 are undergraduate and 173 are graduate - 31 doctoral degrees, 18 educational specialist (EdS) degrees, 118 master's degrees, and 6 graduate certificates.

The graduates are from 34 U.S. states and 11 countries including the United States, Saudi Arabia, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Nepal, Ivory Coast, India, Colombia, Malawi, and Bangladesh.

State Representative Tim Brown, a longtime supporter of higher education and Indiana State University, will receive an Honorary Doctorate from ISU during the undergraduate ceremony.

Graduating students, and their families and friends, will hear from student and alumni speakers.

The Graduate Alumni Speaker on Friday is lawyer D. Scott Watson, a past chair of the Indiana State University Alumni Association and currently serves on the Indiana State University Foundation Board. A native of Clinton, Indiana, he has two degrees from ISU: a bachelor's degree in English Teaching in 1985 and an M.Ed in Secondary Education in 1989. Watson serves as the office administrator of the Chicago and Indianapolis offices of the law firm Quarles & Brady LLP. A specialist in labor and employment issues, Watson served as the former national chair of the firm's Labor & Employment Practice Group and the former office managing partner of the Chicago office prior to moving to the administrative side of the house.

Graduating doctoral student Jamie L. Haney will serve as the Graduate Student Speaker. Haney is graduating with a Ph.D. in Educational Administration with a focus on higher education. This is her second graduate degree from Indiana State University, after earning a Master of Science in Student Affairs and Higher Education in 2014. Haney has served as the Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Services at the University of Illinois Chicago's Graduate College since 2019. With her Ph.D. completed, she plans to continue her professional work in university administration.

ISU alumna Pamela D. Poore, an owner of six McDonald's restaurants in Central Indiana, will serve as the Undergraduate Alumni Speaker on Saturday. She earned a bachelor's degree in fashion merchandising from ISU and then began working at USA Funds, holding various positions, her last one being a marketing executive. When her husband, James Poore, became a McDonald's Owner-Operator, she assisted him in the business. She enjoyed it so much that she made the decision to concentrate on becoming an owner-operator herself. Deeply rooted in the Indianapolis community, Poore has received many honors and recognitions, including the Black History Maker of Tomorrow award.

The Undergraduate Student Speaker is Rebecca Ann Conners, who completed the Adult Career Education program. As an experienced 911 telecommunications specialist and trainer, Conners has extensive knowledge of emergency services and customer care. Conners began a career as a 911 professional in 2016. After graduation, she plans to obtain an ENP certification through NENA, a national 911 organization, and to pursue a master's degree in Public Administration or Sociology. She was raised in Gary, Indiana.

The ceremonies will be livestreamed to allow additional family and friends the opportunity to celebrate with graduates in real time. Visit the commencement webpage for the information.