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Inside Iowa State, a newspaper for faculty and staff, is published by the Office of University Relations.

July 22, 2004

Summer commencement Aug. 7

by Anne Krapfl

Iowa State will award more than 1,000 degrees during a single summer graduation ceremony Saturday, Aug. 7, in Hilton Coliseum.

James Melsa, who retired in June as the dean of the College of Engineering and professor of electrical and computer engineering, will give the commencement address.

An estimated 647 students will receive bachelor's degrees during the ceremony. Another 270 will receive master's and 86 will receive Ph.D. awards. All graduating students will walk across the stage and be greeted by President Gregory Geoffroy or Provost Benjamin Allen and their college deans.

During Melsa's tenure as dean, the Engineering College experienced enrollment increases and set new records in research and fund raising. In 2002, he launched the "Reach for the Top" initiative, with the goal of placing the college among the top 20 graduate engineering programs in the country within 10 years.

The west side of campus was significantly redeveloped during Melsa's leadership years. He oversaw the completion of the $62.5 million Engineering Teaching and Research Complex, which includes Howe Hall (completed in 1999) and Hoover Hall, completed last fall. Howe Hall contains one of the world's only six-sided virtual reality labs. The ETRC is the largest building project in Iowa State's history.

The commencement ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m.

James Melsa

James Melsa