TAMIU Fall Commencement Exercises Set Saturday at 10 a.m.

Approximately 240 students are candidates for undergraduate or graduate degrees at Texas A&M International University's Fall Commencement Exercises scheduled Saturday morning at 10 at the Kinesiology Convocation Building.

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board member Raul B. Fernández will be Commencement Speaker

Fernandez, who graduated from Laredo's Martin High School, was named to the 18-member THECB in 1998.

He is president of RBF Group Inc. a building, development and property management company in San Antonio. He is a former vice chairman of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents and served as a regent under appointment by Governor Bill Clements in from 1989-1995.

He is a graduate of Texas A&M University's Class of 1959 with a bachelor of science in Civil Engineering.

San Antonio's Raul B. Fernández Elementary School was named in his honor by the Northside Independent School District Board of Trustees in 1990.

In 1994 he was a recipient of the Tiger Legend Award from Martin High School. He has also received a Presidential Citation from Texas A&M University-Kingsville and the Sembradores De Amistad Education Foundation Award.

He is a member and past chairman of the Corps of Cadets Development Council, Texas A&M University and a member of the Board of Directors of A&M's 12th Man Foundation.

For additional information, please contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at 326.2180. University office hours are from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

University offices will be open Dec. 16-20. Offices will be closed Dec. 23-Jan 1. Offices will reopen on Jan. 2. Registration for Spring Semester 2003 is Friday, Jan. 10 from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Classes begin Jan. 13.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at pais@tamiu.edu