The Class of 2015 celebrates during the Commencement Ceremony. IU East will host its 45th Commencement Ceremony on May 13 at the Richmond High School Tiernan Center.

Indiana University East will host its 45th Commencement Ceremony at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 13, at the Richmond High School Tiernan Center.

This year, the university will confer 772 baccalaureate degrees and 23 master’s degrees. The number of degrees is a significant increase for IU East and marks the university’s highest number of graduates in a given year.

Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie and IU East Chancellor Kathryn Cruz-Uribe will preside and address the 795 graduates eligible to receive IU degrees during the ceremony. The figures include degree recipients from December 2015 and candidates for May, June and August 2016.

The ceremony will be broadcast via live stream video at iue.edu/live. The website also includes live commencement updates and commentary via Facebook and Twitter, with the hashtags #iueast and #iue2016. Richmond residents can also watch the ceremony live on WCTV Channel 20.

As part of the ceremony, IU East will award an Indiana University Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree to former Indiana State Senator Allen E. Paul and to former Indiana State Representative Richard “Dick” Bodiker. The honorary degree, the highest academic recognition Indiana University can bestow, is awarded to individuals who demonstrate the highest standards of personal integrity and sincere concern for the public good.

Recipients of the honorary degree generally have significant ties to the state of Indiana or to Indiana University. Through this high honor, IU seeks to honor individuals who may serve as role models for students, faculty, alumni and the people of the state of Indiana.

Paul and Bodiker will be recognized for their public service and their long-time support of IU East, which ultimately assisted the campus’ growth and helped the campus expand from one building in 1989 to four buildings in 1995. Through their bipartisan efforts, Paul and Bodiker provided their support and influence to strengthen the partnership between IU East and Ivy Tech Community College in 1999.

Paul served District 27 as an Indiana State Senator from 1986 to 2014. Bodiker served as a Representative from 1986 to 2002.

IU President Michael A. McRobbie will present the President’s Medal for Excellence to IU East Chancellor Emeritus David Fulton. The medal is the highest honor an IU president can bestow.

Fulton, who was chancellor at IU East from 1995-2007, will receive the President’s Medal in recognition of his service to IU and to IU East. During his time at IU East, and today still, Fulton was very active in the community and has received numerous awards for his community work.

Erika RuthAnn Lemar, Richmond, Ind., will address fellow classmates during the ceremony as the student speaker. Lemar, who will receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, was selected to address the 2016 class after auditioning for the honor.

Timothy Ryan Tootle, Indianapolis, Ind., is the recipient of the Naomi Osborne Award, an honor given to the graduate with the highest grade point average, and will lead the graduating class during the alumni induction ceremony. Tootle will receive his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting.

For more information, visit iue.edu/commencement.