Indiana University East will host its 41st Commencement Ceremony at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 11, at the Richmond High School Tiernan Center.

This year, the university will confer 445 baccalaureate degrees and 16 master’s degrees. The awarding of the degrees is a significant increase for IU East. In 2005, the university conferred 156 baccalaureate degrees and 86 associate degrees. IU East no longer offers associate degree programs and conferred its final four associate degrees in 2011.

Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie and IU East Chancellor Nasser H. Paydar will preside and address the 461 graduates eligible to receive IU degrees during the ceremony. The figures include degree recipients from December 2011 and candidates for May, June and August 2012.

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

As part of the ceremony, Indiana University East will award an Indiana University Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree to Paul W. Lingle, president of Lingle Real Estate and member of the IU East Board of Advisors. 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.

Nicole Dickson of Eaton, Ohio, will address fellow classmates during the ceremony as the student speaker. Dickson will receive a Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and was selected to address the 2012 class after auditioning for the honor.

Roger Crane of Richmond, 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.

For more information, visit iue.edu/commencement.