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Posted: 5/10/07

TAMIU Spring Commencement Saturday at 8 p.m.

 

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Texas A&M International University's Spring Commencement Exercises will be held Saturday, May 12 at 8 p.m. on the University Green.

Dr. Michael D. McKinney, chancellor of The Texas A&M University System, will provide the Commencement address.

Over 478 candidates for undergraduate or graduate degrees are scheduled to graduate, the largest such class in the University's history.

Another historic moment will occur when the University awards its first Ph.D. in International Business Administration to Christine Bernadas, of France. 

Bernadas’ doctoral dissertation was “Facilitating the Maintenance of Enterprise Systems (ES): An Exploratory Study of Perceptions of IT Professionals in North America (Mexico and the United States).”

Dr. Ray Keck, TAMIU president, said the University now moves to yet another level as a doctoral-granting institution.

"When Christine crosses that stage, she not only marks her own personal history, but personifies our ascension to a doctoral-granting institution, the highest tier in academia.  This community and University have long been at a crossroads of international culture and commerce, so it's deeply satisfying for us to be able to award this earned doctoral degree in International Business Administration and savor this remarkable moment, the first of many more to come," Dr. Keck said. 

Joining the University to award the degree will be State Senator Judith Zaffirini, who lead the charge for the University's development of its first stand-alone Ph.D. program, approved in 2004.

Commencement speaker Dr. McKinney was named chancellor of The Texas A&M University System in 2006. A family physician, he came to the A&M System from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, where he served as senior executive vice president and chief operating officer since September 2003.

He served in leadership at the UT System since 2002, including as vice chancellor for health affairs at the UT System's Austin administrative offices and as acting dean of the UT Medical School in Houston.

During 2001 and 2002, he served as chief of staff to Governor Rick Perry. From 1995-1998, during former Governor George W. Bush's first term, he was Texas Commissioner of Health and Human Services. He represented Leon, Madison, Grimes, Houston and Montgomery counties in the Texas House of Representatives from 1984 to 1991 and was speaker pro-tempore of the House from 1989 to 1990.

Among his many honors and achievements are the American Medical Association's 2006 Physician's Recognition Award and the Texas Academy of Family Practice's Presidential Award of Merit for Exemplary Service.

As a state representative, he was recognized as one of the 10 best legislators by Texas Monthly Magazine and The Dallas Morning News. The Texas Medical Association and the Texas Department of Commerce recognized him as an outstanding legislator.

For additional information, contact the TAMIU Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at 326.2180, e-mail prmis@tamiu.edu or visit offices in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 268.


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