MEDIA CONTACT: Kristine M. McGrath
561-297-1168, kmcgrath@fau.edu

FAU Celebrates Summer Commencement

BOCA RATON, FL (August 6, 2004) - Florida Atlantic University conferred more than 1,500 degrees today during three summer commencement ceremonies. These students join more than 87,000 alumni who have graduated from FAU since it opened its doors 40 years ago.

"Commencement is undoubtedly one of the most memorable moments in a college graduate's life," said FAU President Frank T. Brogan '81. "It is certainly a wonderful opportunity for FAU's students, faculty, staff and the extended FAU family to celebrate the accomplishments of these graduates."

FAU's summer commencement highlighted graduates of a new master's program within the College of Business, the specialized Executive Master of Tax. Introduced in the Fall 2002, this master's degree focuses on tax law for individuals, corporations, partnerships, estates and trusts. Because of the online component, it allows the degree to be available to anyone in the world who has internet access. Today, 11 students graduated from this new program.

Today's commencement also highlighted the accomplishments of several outstanding graduates, including:

• Reynaldo Abad, originally from Puerto Rico, became deaf at the age of one. In an effort to obtain better health care and education, the family moved to Venezuela where he worked with therapists and attended a school for deaf children. The family was told by doctors that he would never be able to hear properly or speak. Reynaldo's family refused to believe this, so they enrolled him in a private school and provided him with tutors. Reynaldo graduated from the private school, and moved to the U.S. with his family where he attended Broward Community College. In the U.S., he was able to obtain a cochlear transplant to assist in his hearing and he took classes at a local school to learn English. Today, Reynaldo graduated from FAU with a BS degree in computer science.
• David Ramdon, who started his life journey in Jamaica 42 years ago, began his education in the cellar of a woman's home who volunteered to teach him. He spoke only Patwah until he was 12 years old and never saw the inside of a library until he was 15. Against what seemed like insurmountable odds, David graduated from a private high school and finished business college in Jamaica. He immigrated to Florida where he entered the nursing program at Miami Dade Community College. In 2002, David graduated with a BSN from FAU, and today, he received a master's degree in nursing.
• Mary Dunn and Marie Mahler, students of FAU's Treasure Coast campus, are a mother/daughter team. They began attending FAU in the Fall 2002. Today, they both graduated from FAU with a bachelor's degree in social work.

Commencement for all of FAU's colleges was held in FAU's University Center Auditorium, 777 Glades Road. In addition, the ceremony was cybercasted at www.fau.edu.

- FAU -