Karen Schmitt to Give Keynote Address at UW Commencement

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Karen Schmitt

UW-Marshfield/Wood County Commencement Honors Fifty Graduates

OnFocus – The University of Wisconsin-Marshfield/Wood County will hold its annual Commencement & Awards Ceremony Friday, May 18, 6 p.m., in the Helen Connor Laird Theater, 2000 W. 5th St., Marshfield. Fifty students earned two-year degrees from UW-M/WC during the 2017-18 academic year, and many of these graduates will be participating in the ceremony.

Karen Schmitt, provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs for the UW Colleges, will give the commencement address. She came to UW Colleges last August from the University of Alaska Southeast where she was the dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and vice provost for Research and Sponsored Programs. She has a doctorate in geological sciences from Columbia University and a master’s in geology from the University of Otago in New Zealand as a Fulbright Graduate Student Fellow.

Across her 30-year career, Schmitt has also held leadership positions at the University of Alaska Anchorage, the University of Washington in Seattle, Exxon and with ITT Antarctic Services. UW System President Ray Cross recently named Schmitt to serve as the interim vice president of Academic and Student Affairs in the UW System Administration. She will replace retiring Vice President James Henderson on June 1.

In addition to recognizing the students who have earned their Associates of Arts & Science degrees, the campus will recognize three students who have completed their Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science degree, which UW Colleges launched in 2012.

The Athlete of the Year, Teaching Excellence and William P. Pors awards also will be announced during the ceremony.

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News Desk
Author: News Desk