EAST LANSING, Mich. — Space, finance and films will be topics of conversation among the three speakers at MSU’s December commencement ceremonies.
Ceremonies will be held Friday, Dec. 5, and Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center, One Birch Road. Also at commencement, MSU will present five other individuals with honorary degrees.
Steven Squyres, the human face behind NASA’s Mars Rover project, will address advanced degree candidates at 7 p.m. Dec. 5. MSU will award him an honorary doctor of science.
John McCoy, the former chairman and CEO of BankOne, will address undergraduate degree candidates at 10 a.m. Dec. 6. He will speak to students in the James Madison College, the Eli Broad College of Business and the colleges of Arts and Letters, Education, Music and Social Science. He will receive an honorary doctor of business.
And Jack Epps Jr., award-winning filmmaker and MSU alumnus, will address the last group of undergraduate degree candidates at 2 p.m. Dec. 6. He will speak to students in the colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Communication Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Natural Science, Nursing and Lyman Briggs. MSU will present Epps with an honorary doctor of fine arts.
“From space exploration to finance to filmmaking, each of the commencement speakers has an extraordinary story of success to share,” said MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon. “Their inspirational messages about their achievements will offer our graduating students a vision of what the future can hold for them as they leave MSU to begin the next chapter in their lives.”
For more information about MSU’s commencement ceremonies, visit www.commencement.msu.edu.
Biographies of commencement speakers follow.
Steven Squyres
Steven Squyres is Goldwin Smith Professor of Astronomy at Cornell University. But he is perhaps best known as the leader of NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Project. As the project’s principal investigator, Squyres conducts the search of water on mars, using twin robots Opportunity and Spirit. His recently published book, “Roving Mars: Spirit, Opportunity and the Exploration of the Red Planet,” discusses the complexities of managing what became a historic adventure.
In addition, Squyres has participated in NASA’s missions to Jupiter and Saturn. His leadership roles with NASA include previously serving as chair of its Space Advisory Committee. Squyres’ career accomplishments have earned him prestigious recognition from leading industry associations such as the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, American Astronautical Society and National Space Society. In addition, ABC News has featured Squyres as its “Person of the Week.”
Squyres received his doctorate from Cornell in 1981.
John McCoy
After spending nearly 40 years with Bank One Corp. and its subsidiary, Bank One, John McCoy retired as chairman and CEO in 1999. He is the third generation of McCoys to be affiliated with Bank One. Under McCoy’s leadership, the company grew from $9.1 billion in assets to about $270 billion. Also as CEO, McCoy participated in more than 100 financial institution acquisitions.
While at Bank One, McCoy served as a member of the Federal Advisory Council and the Board of the Bankers Roundtable. Currently, McCoy is chairman of the Battelle Memorial Institute’s Board of Trustees. He also has served as chairman of several other boards of trustees, including Williams College and Stanford University.
McCoy earned a bachelor’s degree from Williams College and a master’s degree from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. He holds honorary doctoral degrees from Williams College, The Ohio State University and Kenyon College.
Jack Epps Jr.
Jack Epps Jr.’s roots go back to MSU. As an MSU student, the award-winning filmmaker made three student films that earned film festival awards and a NBC Movie of the Week. Later, Epps partnered with the late Jim Cash, an MSU screenwriting professor, to create box office hits.
The Epps-Cash duo wrote “Top Gun,” which soared to No. 1 in 1986. Within 11 months, they had three films released simultaneously: “Top Gun,” “Legal Eagles” and “The Secret of My Success.” Epps’ co-authoring hits also include “Dick Tracy,” “Turner & Hooch” and “Anaconda.” Throughout his career, Epps has worked with big-name Hollywood actors such as Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.
Currently the writing division chair of the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, Epps is a 30-year member of the Writer’s Guild of America. He is also the recipient of MSU’s Spartans in Hollywood Award.
In conjunction with the East Lansing Film Festival, Epps will host a free public discussion about some of the Epps-Cash films. Epps will be at (Scene) Metrospace, 110 Charles St., East Lansing, at 7 p.m. Dec. 6. For more information, visit the College of Arts and Letters Web site at www.cal.msu.edu.
MSU will award the following honorary degree during the Dec. 5 advanced degree ceremony:
Tom Krigas – honorary doctor of science
Former MSU chemist Tom Krigas co-discovered the anti-cancer drug, Cisplatin. From 1963 to 1970, he worked with fellow MSU scientists Barnett Rosenberg and Loretta VanCamp on its invention and subsequent development.
Specifically, Krigas helped to identify the platinum compound responsible for stopping cell division, which was a crucial concept in the development of Cisplatin. Later, the research team was awarded a patent for what is now the world’s largest selling, FDA-approved anti-tumor drug.
Krigas then spent the next 29 years as a research chemist and manager in the polymer and plastics industry before retiring in 1999.
A two-time MSU graduate, Krigas earned a master’s degree and a doctorate from MSU. Krigas, who received an MSU Alumni Service Award in 1998, is a charter member of the College of Natural Science Dean’s Board of Advisors.
At the 10 a.m. Dec. 6 ceremony, the following individuals will receive honorary degrees:
Haijing Fu – honorary doctor of fine arts
Haijing Fu is one of the world’s most acclaimed operatic baritones. In his 18th year with the New York Metropolitan Opera, Fu has performed in nearly every major opera house in the world.
A citizen of China and of the United States, Fu is an ambassador of global education and an exemplary leader of MSU’s world-grant philosophy.
In 2003, Fu founded China’s first private vocal institute. Shortly thereafter, he collaborated with MSU College of Music professor and Metropolitan Opera colleague Richard Fracker to create an overseas vocal arts exchange program. The program has helped expose Chinese vocal students to Western opera dramatic traditions – an element that’s rarely emphasized in Chinese vocal education and culturally absent.
In 2006, Fu participated in the opening of MSU’s Beijing office.
Calvin Rapson – honorary doctor of humanities
As vice president of the International Union, United Auto Workers, Calvin Rapson is a respected international labor leader.
After attending MSU from 1963 to 1965, Rapson left to pursue a lifetime of dedication to Michigan’s automotive industry and its union. Rapson has worked his way to the top, serving in various local and international union capacities.
A graduate of the UAW-General Motors Corp. apprenticeship program, Rapson is an advocate of accessible, affordable education. He implemented a two-year certificate program through MSU’s School of Labor and Industrial Relations. Rapson also founded the Vice President Cal Rapson Endowed Scholarship Fund. Through support from industry and community leaders, the fund provides educational assistance for union members and their dependents.
MSU will present the following individuals with honorary degrees during the Dec. 6 afternoon ceremony:
James Herbert – honorary doctor of agriculture
James Herbert is chairman and CEO of Lansing, Mich.-based Neogen Corp., a company he co-founded in 1982. Neogen – which manufactures food and animal safety products – originally started as an MSU research initiative.
Herbert has expanded the company to more than 400 employees with multiple national and international locations. Neogen has been named by Forbes Magazine seven times to the annual list of the top 200 Small Public Companies in America.
Committed to local economic stimulation, Herbert has built Neogen facilities from old, outdated buildings – rather than purchasing new ones. And he has provided countless research opportunities, internships and job opportunities for MSU students.
Herbert sits on the Greater Lansing Chamber of Commerce board of directors, is the governor’s appointee to the board of directors of the Michigan Strategic Fund and is a director of numerous other civic organizations. Both USA Today and Nasdaq have named Herbert Michigan Entrepreneur of the Year.
David Morris – honorary doctor of agriculture
Since the beginning of his farming career 60 years ago, David Morris has operated with sustainability in mind. Morris used his Michigan Agricultural College education to master a delicate balance between traditional farming practices and urban development. His foresight resulted in the expansion of a 245-acre family farm to a 1,800-acre enterprise.
Dedicated to Michigan’s agricultural industry, Morris has held several leadership positions within the Michigan Farm Bureau. And he served 26 years as the Eagle Township, Mich., supervisor.
Morris’ philanthropic efforts to MSU’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources have resulted in enhanced opportunities for environmental sustainability and economic improvement. In addition, Morris has served on several advisory boards within the college.
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