Winter Commencement for Grand Valley State University will be held on Dec. 6 at 10 a.m. in the Grand Rapids Van Andel Arena. The program will consist of a keynote speaker, the presentation of honorary degrees and other student-related presentations.

The commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient will be Laurie Finney Beard, the president of Founders Bank and Trust, a privately owned bank in Grand Rapids. Beard received her bachelor’s degree in economics and finance from Millikan University and began her career working as a bank examiner for the federal government. She later earned her master’s degree in business administration from GVSU in 1981.

Beard, along with several other professionals, partnered to create Founders Bank and Trust. Her work earned her recognition, and she was the recipient of GVSU’s 2013 distinguished alumni award. She was also recognized three times as one of the Grand Rapids Business Journal’s “50 most influential women in West Michigan.”

Beard’s commencement speech will be entitled “When I’m 64” and will use her real-life experience to inspire graduates.

Additionally, James Kofi Annan and Tom Wisner will be receiving honorary degrees during the ceremony. Annan is an activist to end slavery and human trafficking in Ghana after being forced into slavery at the age of 6 in the dangerous fishing industry. Enslaved for seven years, Annan was able to escape and eventually became a university graduate.

Over the past five years, GVSU faculty members and students have worked by Annan’s side, learning skills in advocacy and protection. Annan has received international awards such as the 2009 Frederick Douglass Freedom Award and the 2013 World Children’s Prize.

Wisner is president of LET, Inc., a land acquisition and development company that builds condominiums. The Wisner family created an engineering scholarship at GVSU that helps first generation and nontraditional students, and supports students in product design. They also created a scholarship for doctoral physical therapy students.

As a new addition to the commencement ceremony, a Young Alumni Award will also be awarded to Ryan Slusarzyk. This award is given to recent alumni who shows initiative and promise, and provides inspiration for the current graduating class. Slusarzyk graduated from GVSU in 2008 with a degree in marketing and sales management.

The speakers and degree presentations are aimed to inspire and encourage students as they enter their respective fields. In addition to the speakers, there will also be videos shown throughout the ceremony.

“During the ceremony, several videos are shown that recap student’s experiences from orientation to graduation,” said LeAnne Tibbe from the Office of Student Life. “This ceremony is a chance to look at all of the things students have done and to say ‘congratulations, you did it.’

“The graduating students’ supporters are all there, that have watched them as they’ve struggled, doubted themselves and, ultimately, overcome these obstacles, and that’s one of the greatest elements.”

Last year, 978 student graduates walked during the ceremony. This year, 1,907 students are currently eligible to walk. Graduates that choose to walk in commencement seem to be close in numbers to the previous years, staying on trend with the relative number of students.

“Right now, we have 950 graduates that have picked up their cap, gown and tickets and plan on going through the December commencement ceremony,” said Sue Willemsen, administrative assistant from the Dean of Students Office. “That number could go up to 1,000 students between now and Dec. 6.”

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