The University of Northwestern – St. Paul will confer 153 diplomas to undergraduate, adult undergraduate, and graduate students in recognition of their countless hours of study, research, collaboration, and application. The ceremony will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, December 20 at the John Lord and Beverly Knight Performance Hall.
These graduates include 127 bachelor’s, 20 master’s, and 5 associate of arts degrees as well as 1 graduate certificate. Of the diplomas awarded, Northwestern conferred the majority of bachelor’s degrees to those in the School of Business (39), the Department of Christian Ministries (20), the Department of Psychology & Criminal Justice (16), the School of Nursing (12), the School of Education (11), the Department of Computing, Analytics, & Mathematics (11), and the Department of Communication (10).
The ceremony will include remarks from Grover C. Sayre III, Chair of the Board, and President Corbin Hoornbeek. Attendees will hear statements from faculty, graduates, and staff, and enjoy musical movements led by the Department of Music & Theatre.
The address will be given by 1987 graduate Rev. Dr. Neal Rich, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees. Throughout his professional career, Dr. Rich has provided both entrepreneurial and strategic leadership in a variety of vocational opportunities. Today, he serves as the lead pastor of Cedar Valley Church in Bloomington, Minn.
Dr. Rich accepted Christ as his personal savior as a sophomore in high school due in large part to the influence of his youth pastor. After graduating from what was then Northwestern College with a bachelor’s degree in education, he entered the workforce as a high school teacher in Dallas, Texas. Meanwhile, Neal was also heavily engaged in youth ministry, especially with several high-profile basketball camps throughout the country.
A livestream of the Commencement ceremony is available on Friday, December 22 at 3:45 p.m.
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University of Northwestern – St. Paul (UNW) is a nondenominational Christian university in St. Paul, Minn. With a biblical worldview integrated into all programs, UNW provides a unique educational experience for students who want to combine faith and education. Northwestern offers more than 65 areas of study, including seven master’s degrees, and online and early college programs. Northwestern Media, a ministry of the university, owns and operates 29 Christian radio stations throughout the Midwest with a total listenership of more than 2 million listeners. Visit unwsp.edu for more information.