South Palm Beach Today

Florida Atlantic University will confer more than 2,710 degrees today and tomorrow for the fall semester during five in-person commencement ceremonies in the Carole and Barry Kaye Performing Arts Auditorium, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus. The new graduates will join more than 194,000 alumni who have graduated from FAU since the University opened its doors in 1964.

“I’ve had the honor of conferring more than 70,000 degrees since I arrived at the university in 2014,” said FAU President John Kelly. “The Class of 2022 joins our 190,000-plus alumni in becoming some of the most educated people in the world, and I am very proud of their accomplishments. Together, we have ushered Florida Atlantic into a new era of learning, service and achievement.”

This fall’s commencement also honored the following with a presidential medallion from FAU President John Kelly, who will step down from the FAU presidency at the end of this year:

• Dec. 15 at 9 a.m. – Anthony Barbar, former chair of FAU’s Board of Trustees
• Dec. 15 at 1 p.m. – FAU benefactor Jay Weinberg
• Dec. 16 at 1 p.m. – Joel Herbst, Ed.D., superintendent of FAU's PK-12 schools and educational programs

FAU benefactor Avron Folgelman received an honorary doctorate during the ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 15 at 9 a.m. Fogelman, former owner of the Kansas City Royals baseball organization, donated to the university what is one of the largest private sports libraries amassed by an individual. The collection is now housed in the Avron B. Fogelman Sports Museum at the Schmidt Family Complex for Academic and Athletic Excellence at FAU’s Boca Raton campus.

Fall commencement also highlights the accomplishments of outstanding graduates, including:

Jaxon Kuipers, 19, will graduate with a master’s degree in data science from the College of Business on Thursday, Dec. 15 at 1 p.m. Kuipers earned his first master’s degree in economics in August, making him one of the youngest to earn a graduate degree from FAU. When Kuipers was 18 in May 2021, he graduated from FAU High with his high school diploma along with enough credits to earn a bachelor’s degree from FAU in December of that same year.

Stacy Volnick, chief operating officer and vice president of administrative affairs at FAU, will graduate with a Ph.D. in educational leadership on Friday, Dec. 16 at 1 p.m. Volnick, a first-generation college graduate, will become interim president of FAU at the end of this semester.

Some interesting statistics regarding the fall graduating class include the fact that 65 of the degree recipients are over the age of 50 and eight are over the age of 60. The oldest graduate is 72, and there are 17 graduates who are 18 years old. The graduates represent 56 countries.

For the convenience of family members and friends who cannot attend the commencement ceremonies, the proceedings will be cybercast at www.fau.edu.

Original source can be found here