More than 1,000 students were invited to participate in the 94th Commencement ceremony at Bemidji State University, held at Sanford Center in Bemidji on May 10.

Bemidji State’s Class of 2013 included:
• 67 master’s degree recipients. BSU awarded two master of education degrees, six master of arts and 59 master of sciences;
• 239 undergraduates who graduated with honors, including 49 Summa Cum Laude honorees, 89 Magna Cum Laude honorees and 101 Cum Laude honorees;
• 703 students who were eligible to receive undergraduate degrees, including 87 bachelor of arts recipients, 12 bachelor of fine arts recipients, 582 bachelor of science recipients, and 22 bachelor of applied science recipients; and
• 23 students who were eligible to receive associate’s degrees, including 22 associate in arts and one associate in science.

The practice of recognizing outstanding academic achievement with Cum Laude honors dates to the earliest European college and university practices in the 13th century. Summa Cum Laude denotes graduates with cumulative grade point averages of 3.90 or higher; Magna Cum Laude recognizes those with GPAs between 3.70 and less than 3.90; and Cum Laude recognizes those with GPAs between 3.50 and less than 3.70.

In total, Bemidji State invited 1,032 students to Commencement.

U.S. Marine Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, a 1976 graduate of Bemidji State University, gave the commencement address as the 31st recipient of Bemidji State’s Distinguished Minnesotan award.

The Distinguished Minnesotan award, first given in 1981, acknowledges the contributions of current or former residents of the state who have performed exemplary service to the people of Minnesota or the United States.

Moses Tsang, a 1972 BSU graduate, received an honorary doctorate degree and also addressed the Class of 2013. Tsang was honored in recognition for his decades of success in the field of international finance and his tireless efforts to champion the preservation the Earth’s environment and natural resources. A true citizen of the world, Tsang embodies Bemidji State University’s signature themes of environmental stewardship and of global and multicultural understanding.

Bemidji State University also conferred emeriti status on 12 retiring professors and staff members:
• Dr. Don Bradel, professor emeritus of criminal justice
• Dr. Susan Scrivner, professor emerita of English
• Dr. Carole Reesink, professor emerita of professional education
• Dr. William Scheela, professor emerita of business administration
• Dr. Kit Christensen, professor emeritus of philosophy
• Dr. Karl Salscheider, professor emeritus of human performance, sport and health
• Dr. Nancy Erickson, professor emerita of German
• Dr. Rodney L. Witt, professor emeritus of criminal justice
• Dr. Kyle Crocker, professor emeritus of art history
• Dr. Kathryn Smith, professor emerita of accounting
• Mr. George Gardner, professor emeritus of accounting
• Ms. Kathi Hagen, coordinator emerita of disability services