The University of Wisconsin-Platteville will honor the May 2021 graduates with a virtual celebration on Friday, May 14. The commencement recognition video will be posted at 9 a.m. and will recognize the graduates from the College of Business, Industry, Life Science and Agriculture; the College of Liberal Arts and Education; the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science; the School of Graduate Studies and associate degree candidates from UW-Platteville, UW-Platteville Baraboo Sauk County and UW-Platteville Richland. The university plans to hold in-person ceremonies for the classes of 2020 and spring 2021 at a later date.
The College of BILSA will feature 388 candidates. Samuel Behm, a business administration major, from Beloit, Wisconsin, will deliver the senior speaker address. The valedictorians are Cole Oberle, a construction management major from Lena, Illinois; Andrea Bendorf, a soil and crop science major from Stitzer, Wisconsin; and Nathaniel Lueders, an industrial technology management major from Clinton, Iowa.
The College of LAE will celebrate 269 candidates. Rachel Emendorfer a psychology and health and human performance double major from Platteville, Wisconsin, was selected as the senior speaker. Jeffrey Yanke, a history and social science comprehensive double major, from Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, is valedictorian.
The College of EMS will have 392 candidates. Riley Sasse, a chemistry major, from Bridgewater, New Jersey, is the senior speaker. The valedictorian is Claire Endres, a mechanical engineering major from Sauk City, Wisconsin.
The School of Graduate Studies will feature 154 candidates. The video will conclude with 58 students earning associate degrees. Muhammad Abdl-Haleem, a philosophy major, from Boaz, Wisconsin, will represent the branch campuses as the senior speaker. Abdl-Haleem attends UW-Platteville Richland.
Gary Goldberg will give the principal speaker address. Goldberg graduated from UW-Platteville in 1981 with a degree in mining engineering. He is a director of BHP, one of the world’s top producers of iron ore, metallurgical coal and copper with substantial interests in oil and gas. Goldberg’s career has allowed him to visit dozens of countries including living in England and Australia. In 2021, Goldberg was elected as a member of the National Academy of Engineering for his distinguished contributions to engineering for promoting safety, sustainability, inclusion, value, ethics and responsibility in the mining industry.
Since 1866, UW-Platteville has provided affordable and accessible education to students of Southwest Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and other parts of the country and world. Nearly 60,000 students have earned UW-Platteville diplomas.
For more details about the commencement recognition video, visit uwplatt.edu/commencement.