Nearly 300 graduate and professional students will celebrate the next step in their life journey at Pacific University’s annual August Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, August 8, on the Forest Grove Campus.
The ceremony begins at 9 a.m. and will take place on the east lawn outside of Marsh Hall. Tickets for the ceremony are free but are required for all guests. The ceremony will also be livestreamed on the university’s YouTube page.
Graduates from six of Pacific’s healthcare graduate and professional programs will receive degrees. Bachelor’s degrees will be awarded to candidates from the Dental Hygiene Studies program. Master’s and doctoral degrees will be conferred upon candidates from the university’s Audiology, Graduate Psychology, Occupational Therapy and Physician Associate Studies programs, and the interdisciplinary Doctor of Philosophy in Education & Leadership program.
During the ceremony, Pacific will present an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree to Kim Ledbetter in honor of his longtime service and support of the university. A distinguished leader in the Portland business community, Ledbetter served on Pacific’s Board of Trustees from 2006 to 2018 and was named a trustee emeritus at the end of his tenure.
Ledbetter and his wife, Barbara, have been transformative philanthropists for the university, supporting the Pacific Excellence Fund, the graduate business program, and renovations to Jefferson Hall, home of the Pacific College of Optometry. In 2013, the couple established the Ledbetter Endowed Scholarship Fund, providing vital financial assistance to Pacific business students.
In honor of their contributions to the Pacific athletic program, the field at Hanson Stadium was officially named Ledbetter Field in 2017.
Pacific hosts three commencement days each year, including the August graduate-level commencement, dual ceremonies in May for undergraduate and graduate students, and a June ceremony for the Master of Fine Arts in Writing Program.