The University of Wisconsin-Platteville will hold its 213th commencement on Saturday, Dec. 14. UW-Platteville Chancellor Dr. Tammy Evetovich will preside over three ceremonies in Williams Fieldhouse.
The College of Liberal Arts and Education and associate degree candidates will be recognized at 9 a.m. Curt Meine, a conservation biologist, environmental historian and writer, will serve as principal speaker. He is a senior fellow with the Aldo Leopold Foundation in Baraboo, Wisconsin, and with the Chicago-based Center for Humans and Nature. John Phelps, a political science major from Baraboo, Wisconsin, will deliver the senior speaker address. Phelps has served on the UW-Platteville Student Senate for more than a year, including as director of Legislative Affairs. He received the 2024 Chancellor’s Medallion for campus and community leadership. Dr. Shane Drefcinski, professor in the Department of Humanities, will serve as the ceremony’s marshal. Brayden Smith is the valedictorian.
The College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science candidates will be recognized at 12:30 p.m. Alumnus Fred Dreher will deliver the principal speaker address. He was a business professional for more than 36 years, before retiring as vice president of Franklin Energy and pursuing his current career as a music therapist. Shelbi Endres will deliver the senior speaker address. She is an industrial engineering major, originally from Sauk City, Wisconsin. Endres, who is also the college’s valedictorian, will begin her career as a quality engineer with Plastic Ingenuity in Cross Plains, Wisconsin. Tammy Salmon-Stephens, retired director of the College of EMS Student Success Programs, will serve as the ceremony’s marshal.
The last ceremony of the day will recognize the College of Business, Industry, Life Science and Agriculture and master’s degree candidates at 4 p.m. Dr. Ron Deiter, a UW-Platteville alumnus and professor emeritus at Iowa State University, is the principal speaker. Deiter taught in Iowa State University’s Department of Economics for 47 years and is the recipient of many local, state and national awards for his teaching, advising and service. Quentin Bosshard will deliver the student speaker address. He is a construction management major from Mukwonago, Wisconsin. Following graduation, he will begin his career as a safety coordinator at Consolidated Construction Company. D.W. Bill Haskins, emeritus in the School of Business, will serve as the ceremony’s marshal. Amanda Downing is the college’s valedictorian.
For more details about the ceremonies, including access to the live stream for each event, visit uwplatt.edu/commencement.