More than 340 students earned diplomas during the 154th annual Westminster College commencement ceremonies Saturday.

The ceremony began with baccalaureate service at 10:30 a.m. in Orr Auditorium. The Rev. Dr. William J. Carl III, president of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, shared "You're Somebody." The service included music by Kathryn Davison Miller, Westminster College organist; a welcome from Dr. Jesse T. Mann, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College; prayers by Father Phillip Farrell of St. Camillus Church; greetings from retiring Westminster College President R. Thomas Williamson; and scripture readings by the Rev. James Mohr II, college chaplain.

While waiting for the graduates to appear for the 2:30 p.m. Commencement ceremony, parents and friends were treated to music by the Westminster College Faculty Brass Quintet. Bagpiper Donald Wallace, 1974 Westminster graduate, led the grand march and Dr. Nancy Zipay DeSalvo, associate professor and chair of the Department of Music, played "Pomp and Circumstance."

Welcoming remarks were made by Debora Foster, chair of the Westminster Board of Trustees and 1974 Westminster graduate, and Mohr gave the invocation.

After receiving an honorary doctor of humane letters degree, Ronald A. Wolk, a 1954 Westminster graduate and chairman of the board of Editorial Projects in Education, encouraged the Class of 2008 to "Be Lucky!"

"Have fun: the fun that comes from a sense of accomplishment, a sense of elation," Wolk advised. "My best advice is 'be lucky.' It's the key to having fun and the key to working with good people, but it's hard to be lucky without taking risks. It's better to regret the things you did than the things you didn't do."

Williamson, retiring as Westminster's 13th president, received an honorary doctor of public service degree.

He expressed gratitude to those who shared the honor: "My wife, Jean, who has helped me in so many ways; the Trustees; the remarkable faculty and staff; and the Class of 2008. It is my honor to be graduating with you who have made this a better place by your presence here."

He shared thoughts on "Trust and Balance."

"Trust is the foundation of civilization and all civilized transactions and relationships therein," Williamson said. "In life, in love, in all that is, seek balance."

Westminster's commencement would not be complete without recognizing its faculty.

Distinguished Faculty Award
Dr. Patrick C. McCarthy, professor of biology who has been with Westminster since 1970, received the Distinguished Faculty Award. He earned his undergraduate, master's, and Ph.D. from Wayne State University. While at Westminster, McCarthy was chair of the Department of Biology from 1985-1989; supervised students in Honors research, independent study, and field experience/internship; and served four times as Honors moderator. Nominations came from not only faculty and alumni, but students as well.

McCarthy was also awarded professor of physics emeritus status.

The Distinguished Faculty Award is given to the faculty member who has, over a sustained period of time, demonstrated characteristics of the most outstanding faculty - intellectual vitality, effective communication skills, the ability to motivate or inspire compassion and concern for student success, collegiality, and leadership.

Five Faculty Honored with Emeritus Status
In addition to McCarthy, four retiring faculty were honored with emeritus status:

Dr. Warren D. Hickman, who has been with Westminster College since 1968, was awarded professor of mathematics emeritus status. He earned his undergraduate degree from Capital University, his master's from Case Western Reserve University, and Ph.D. from Kent State University. He served as chair of the department three times, including 1979, when the computer science and computer information systems majors were initiated and the corresponding Department of Mathematics and Computer Science was established. 

Dr. G. Samuel Lightner IV, who has been with Westminster since 1970, was granted professor of physics emeritus status. He earned his undergraduate degree from Randolph-Macon College and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. At the time of his retirement, he was chair of the department and served on numerous faculty committees, as well as offices in the American Association of Physics Teachers, the Forum on Education of the American Physical Society, and the Contemporary Physics Education Project.

Dr. James A. Perkins, who has been with Westminster since 1973, was granted professor of English emeritus status. He earned an undergraduate degree from Centre College, a master's from Miami University, and Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee. A former chair of the Department of English and Public Relations, he led the first group of students in the Westminster at Oxford program in 2005. He has published fiction, poetry, and criticism in more than 100 magazines, journals, and books. He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to lecture on American literature at Seoul National University in Korea in 1998. He received a Henderson Lectureship, a McCandless Fellowship, a Watto Award, and the 2006 Distinguished Faculty Award.

Paul G. Wozniak, who has been with Westminster since 1974, was given professor of accounting emeritus status. He earned undergraduate and master's degrees from Youngstown State University and CPA licensing in Pennsylvania, and served as a staff accountant, a financial analyst, and an auditor before coming to Westminster.

Senior class speaker Jenna Diorio, an English major from Poland, Ohio, delivered the senior class speech.

"It is the sum of our reactions and our own decisions that makes us who we are," Diorio said. "We may not be able to control where the shadows of our lives fall, but we can control the direction of our choices."

Recognition of the graduates as Westminster alumni was given by Philip G. Petraglia, a 1983 Westminster graduate and president of the Alumni Council.

William McCullough, a music performance major from DuBois, sang the Westminster College Alma Mater to end the ceremony.

Departing guests were serenaded by Raymond Ocock, professor of music emeritus, with selections on the Westminster carillon.

Commencement highlights are available at www.titanradio.net.