Hawkeye Community College Commencement Ceremony Set for May 17
posted on Wednesday, May 1, 2019 in
College News
WATERLOO—The Hawkeye Community College commencement ceremony is set for Friday, May 17, at 7:00 p.m. The ceremony will be held at the McLeod Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus, located at 2501 Hudson Road, Cedar Falls. The event recognizes fall 2018, spring 2019, and summer 2019 graduates. Keynote speaker is Dr. Linda Allen, president of Hawkeye Community College.
Dr. Allen has dedicated more than two decades of her career to education. That career includes 13 years at Hawkeye, first as vice president of Academic Affairs, then college president – a position she began in March 2011 and from which she will retire on June 30, 2019.
During her tenure, the college expanded career programs in high schools across Hawkeye’s 10-county service area, helping students identify viable career pathways and gain valuable career skills and college credit before leaving high school.
Dr. Allen oversaw construction of the new Van G. Miller Adult Learning Center in downtown Waterloo, the first major project funded by the $25 million bond referendum overwhelming approved by voters in February 2015. She also focused on efforts to remove barriers to education and partner with community organizations to better serve students. This includes the addition of student success specialists on campus and collaboration with the Northeast Iowa Food Bank to assist students who are food insecure.
Her leadership has gained recognition at the state and national levels. The Iowa Association of Community College Trustees named her Outstanding Chief Administrator in 2014, and in 2015 she received the Marie Y. Martin Chief Executive Award from the Association of Community College Trustees, which recognizes leadership and innovative contributions made by a community college chief executive.
She holds a Ph.D. in Medical Anthropology from the University of Iowa. Her scholarly research and publications are in the areas of medical anthropology, transcultural psychology, immigration studies, Asia-Pacific Rim relations, and gender studies.
Student speaker is Kieren Underdown. A native of Lowestoft, England, Underdown graduated from Pakefield High School, then spent two years working toward his goal of coming to the U.S., where he could continue his athletic and academic career. Arriving at Hawkeye in fall 2018, Underdown served as team captain for the RedTail Men’s Soccer team, earning honorable mention on the athletic All-Region XI team and first team All-Region for academics. His hard work and dedication to both the soccer program and his studies led to Underdown being named Hawkeye’s 2019 Male Athlete of the Year.
No tickets are necessary to attend the graduation ceremony. Family and friends who are unable to attend can watch live online at www.hawkeyecollege.edu/graduation.
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- Graduation