Des Moines University (DMU) will award 499 degrees at its 2011 Commencement service May 28 at 10 a.m. at Hy-Vee Hall in the Iowa Events Center, 730 Third St. The dean from each of the three DMU colleges will present their classes and DMU president, Angela Walker Franklin, Ph.D., will confer degrees.
Continuing a tradition started in 1899, the College of Osteopathic Medicine awarded the doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) degree to 200 graduates, the master of science in biomedical science to one and the master of science in anatomy to nine graduates. The College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery awarded the doctor of podiatric medicine (D.P.M.) degree to 60 graduates and the College of Health Sciences awarded degrees from five programs — doctor of physical therapy (D.P.T.) to 47, post-professional doctor of physical therapy (D.P.T) to 69, master of science in physician assistant studies (M.S.) to 48, master of public health (M.P.H) to 27 and master of health care administration (M.H.A.) to 38 graduates. Some students earned dual degrees.
The commencement speaker, Jim Leach, will be presented with an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. Leach was appointed in 2009 by President Barack Obama as the ninth chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Before that he represented southeastern Iowa for 30 years in the U.S. House. In 2007 he became the John L. Weinberg visiting professor of public and international affairs at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School. He has eight honorary degrees and many awards including the Adlai Stevenson Award from the United Nations Association and the Norman Borlaug Award for Public Service.
