West Virginia Wesleyan College will celebrate its 116th Commencement Weekend April 28-30. The Class of 2006, along with returning alumni and guests, will join in the celebration of events, dinners, and activities during the three-day period. The weekend finale will be the graduation of approximately 398 students that make up the Class of 2006. Wesleyan has 304 students graduating this spring while 94 earned their degrees at either the end of the summer term or the conclusion of the fall semester.

William R. Haden, Wesleyan’s retiring president, offered his heartfelt best wishes to the graduates. “I take great pleasure in this 116th commencement, the 11th and final commencement of my tenure as president of West Virginia Wesleyan,” Haden said. “I commend the graduates of the Class of 2006 and the faculty and staff, who have risen to the College’s highest standards of instruction, research and public service. I wish everyone success in their future endeavors.”

During the commencement ceremony, Wesleyan will bestow honorary degrees to Mr. Marvin W. Culpepper ’51 and his wife Mrs. Carmen “Elaine” Karnes Culpepper ’54, and Kathleen “Kay” Goodwin. The Culpeppers have been life-long benefactors of the College, endowing nine scholarships and supporting numerous other programs. Goodwin, who is the keynote commencement speaker, is currently the Secretary of Education and the Arts in West Virginia and a former chairwoman of University System Board of Trustees.

On Friday, the College will celebrate President Haden’s tenure at Wesleyan with a retirement dinner. The dinner is by invitation only. In addition, the jazz ensemble will present a special Evening of Music for the students and their families at 7:30 p.m. in Wesley Chapel. The concert is free and open to the public.

There will be a full slate of activities on campus Saturday. Morning activities include an Open House at the Erickson Alumni Center located on 55 Meade Street from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the Emeritus Club, those who graduated more than 50 years ago, will register in the French A. See Dining Center at 10:30 a.m. with the luncheon/meeting beginning at 11:30 a.m. During the luncheon, members of the Class of 1956 will be inducted into the Club.

In the afternoon, there will be a picnic lunch for graduates and guests at the Campus Center Plaza from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Senior Nursing Convocation is slated in Wesley Chapel at 1 p.m. with the reception to follow in Kresge Hall at 2:30 p.m. There will also be a Senior Art Exhibit and reception in Sleeth Gallery in McCuskey Hall from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., which is open to the public. The Education Department will host a reception in the Social Hall in Benedum Campus Community Center at 1 p.m. The afternoon will conclude with the President’s Reception at his home from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday evening will begin with a Catholic Mass by Fr. James McCafferty in the Meditation Chapel in Wesley Chapel at 4:30 p.m. The Commencement banquet for graduates and guests will be held in the French A. See Dining Center at 5:30 p.m., and the 50th anniversary dinner for the Class of 1956 will take place in Nellie Wilson Lounge at 5:30 p.m.

The highlight of the evening will be the Baccalaureate service in Wesley Chapel at 8 p.m. featuring guest speaker Reverend Margaret Mason Mallory. Rev Mallory is the district superintendent of the Toledo District in the West Ohio Conference.

The 116th Commencement ceremony will be held Sunday in the John D. Rockefeller IV Physical Education Building at 10 a.m. Goodwin’s commencement address to the graduates is entitled “Every, Every Minute.” A ticket is required to attend the Commencement ceremony. There will be a post-commencement buffet in the French A. See Dining Hall at 12:30 p.m.

For more information on the 2006 Commencement weekend, please visit the College’s web site at http://www.wvwc.edu/commencement/.