Tim Wooldridge, executive director of the Arkansas Association of Public Universities, will be guest speaker for the May 9 commencement exercises at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith.

The ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. in Stubblefield Center, Kinkead Ave. and Waldron Rd., and will include the awarding of 704 degrees and certificates.

Wooldridge joined the AAPU in 2007 after serving for seven years as vice president for institutional advancement and legislative affairs at the Arkansas Methodist Medical Center Foundation in Paragould and seven years as vice president of development at Crowley’s Ridge College, also in Paragould.

Wooldridge also represented Northeast Arkansas in the Arkansas Legislature, serving for eight years in the Arkansas Senate and eight years in the House of Representatives. He chaired the Revenue and Taxation Committee and was chosen  by his colleagues to chair the Legislative Council, which works on behalf of the legislature when it is out of session.

He also served on several other legislative committees — the Joint Committee on Energy, Joint Budget Committee, Efficiency Committee and the Agriculture, Economic and Industrial Development Committee. Wooldridge received the Arkansas Hospital Association’s Statesmanship Award for his work on healthcare issues, the Award of Merit from the Arkansas Environmental Federation, and the Arkansas FFA Honorary State Degree, the highest honor a non-member can receive from the state association, for his role in promoting FFA and student success.

Spring Commencement 2009 will include candidates for graduation for the spring semester as well as the first summer term. Preliminary numbers show 253 bachelor’s degrees will be awarded, with 451 associate degrees and certificates to be presented.

Introductions and remarks will be made by Dr. Paul B. Beran, chancellor, who will also confer the degrees.

Dr. Beran and Dr. Ray Wallace, provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs, will present the candidates for degrees, along with Wayne Womack, registrar; Pat Widders, dean of the College of Applied Science and Technology; Dr. Steve Williams, dean of the College of Business; Dr. John Jones, dean of the College of Education; Dr. Carolyn Mosley, dean of the College of Health Sciences; Dr. Henry Rinne, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences; Dr. Joe Hardin, dean of the College of Languages and communication; and Dr. Mark Arant, dean of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

Other program participants include Anne Thomas, director of alumni and the annual fund, who will provide a welcome from the Alumni Association. Dr. Argie Nichols, faculty senate/council chair, is master marshal and bearer of the mace and will provide the call to order and adjournment. Music will be provided by the UA Fort Smith Symphonic Band, directed by Charles Booker; Dr. Rager Moore, director of choral activities, as vocalist with the band on the National Anthem and alma mater; and Dr. Stephen Husarik, head carillonneur, who will provide pre-ceremony music and post-recessional bell peal on the bell tower carillon.

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