Farmer School Salutes Grads in May 8 Ceremony

Graduates process into Millett Hall on May 8 for the Farmer School's divisional ceremony.

Student speakers (from left) Wesley Tang-Wymer, John Budig, and Vincent Ciepiel interwove their commencement remarks on the importance of taking risks to create a better future.

Students and faculty members were in the spotlight at the 2011 Farmer School divisional commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 8. Families and friends of the 912-member graduating class filled Millett Auditorium for the 2 p.m. ceremony.

Three members of the class were the event’s featured speakers. They chose as their theme the importance of taking risks.

“We are all creatures of hope,” said Wesley Tang-Wymer. “We thrive on challenge and opportunity. And while we may pause in the face of uncertainty, we forge ahead because we have faith in the existence of a better tomorrow.”

With Tang-Wymer at the podium were John Budig and Vincent Ciepiel. All three are finance majors.

Faculty awards

Dean Roger Jenkins presented five faculty awards recognizing outstanding teaching and research. Teaching honorees were Rebecca Luzadis (Department of Management), recipient of the Richard T. Farmer Award for Outstanding Professor; Brett Smith (Department of Marketing and Director, Institute of Entrepreneurship), recipient of the Richard K. Smucker Award for Outstanding Junior Professor; and Todd Bailey (Finance), recipient of the Richard K. Smucker Award for Outstanding Clinical Faculty Member.

Byron Finch, chair of the Department of Management, was this year’s recipient of the Farmer School of Business Senior Faculty Award for Research Excellence. Zafer Ozdemir, an associate professor in the Department of Decision Sciences and Management Information Systems, received the James Robeson Junior Faculty Award for Research Excellence.

Dean’s message

Dean Jenkins encouraged the graduating class to consider the similarities of managing an organization and conducting a musical ensemble.

“Successful management, like successful conducting, requires an understanding and appreciation of each component and the ability to keep those components in dynamic interaction,” he said. “Above all, the conductor is the source of inspiration; the one who sets the tempo and the mood, and enables the ensemble to deliver a great performance.”

Graduates by the numbers

The Department of Marketing produced the most graduates this year, with a total of 246. Other department graduates are: accountancy, 241; DSC/MIS, 25; business economics, 27; finance, 195; Management, 43. Cross-disciplinary majors numbered 25 in interdisciplinary business management and 40 in supply chain management.

There were 26 graduates with associate’s degrees in applied business and 24 with associate in arts degrees with a concentration in business. Sixteen students earned a China Business Program certificate that complements their baccalaureate business degree.

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