December commencement--a mixture of remembrance, tradition, solemn moments and celebration

At IU Bloomington’s winter commencement ceremonies, Tony Mobley, who will retire this spring after 26 years as dean of IU’s School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, passed along to graduates his advice for success—approach life with a positive attitude and good things can happen.

The ceremony, Dec. 15 in Assembly Hall, was presided over by Myles Brand, IU president, who was assisted by Sharon Brehm, vice president for academic affairs and chancellor of the Bloomington campus, as 1,725 degrees were conferred.

Photo by Paul Martens
Tammy Wu, Naperville, Ill., who received a bachelor’s degree in business, celebrates with her family after the ceremony—witness the happy smiles of (from left) her mother Lulu, her father Joseph, Tammy, and her sister, Sandy.

Photo by Paul Martens
The platform party proceeds across the floor of Assembly Hall. In the foreground in a white robe is the university grand marshal, Paul Eisenberg of the Department of Philosophy.

Photo by Paul Martens
After leading the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation as dean for 26 years, Tony Mobley will retire in June. He shared his own thoughts about the future with graduates as commencement speaker. The ceremony was presided over by IU President Myles Brand (seated far left), who listens to the HPER dean's remarks.

Photo by Paul Martens
Graduation 101 (G101) "How to Stand Out in a Crowd" and a salutation to a proud father on the top of a mortarboard.

Photo by Paul Martens
From many locations throughout the U.S. and the world, students arrived in Bloomington to earn their degrees; at commencement, they leave together as friends and alumni.

Photo by Paul Martens
A winter commencement calls for a special flourish from well-wishers, and when HPER major Patrick Pierce of Wilmette, Ill., looked into the crowd at IU Bloomington’s Assembly Hall Dec. 15, to his wondering eyes did appear a group of Rudolph-nosed friends and family (above). Pierce (not pictured here) had barely enough time to hang his new IU diploma before taking off for employment at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Photo by Paul Martens

And, now, they are graduates.

Memories are forever... Reprints available!

If you would like prints of the December commencement photos, E-mail photographer Paul Martens, pjmarten@indiana.edu or homepgs@indiana.edu