WSU Tri-Cities to Honor More Than 315 Graduating Students May 6

General Jim Mattis

Washington State University Tri-Cities will honor more than 315 graduating students this year. The honorees include graduates from the fall 2022 and spring 2023 terms. 

WSU President, Kirk Schulz will give opening remarks and the keynote speaker is General Jim Mattis.

The two-hour WSU Tri-Cities Commencement Ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. May 6 at the Toyota Center, 7016 W Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick, WA 99336. No tickets are required. Parking is free. Doors to the venue open at noon. The Toyota Center has entry requirements including a clear bag policy.
 
BACKGROUND ON THE GRADUATES     
The 2023 graduates include 20 doctoral candidates in the areas of biological and agricultural engineering, education, food science, individual interdisciplinary, language, literacy and technology, nursing practice and teaching and learning.

The 24 master’s candidates will receive degrees in biological and agricultural engineering, biology, education, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, environmental science, horticulture, mechanical engineering, nursing and teaching.

The bachelor’s candidates will receive degrees in biology, business administration, civil engineering, computer science, digital technology and culture, earth and environmental science, education, electrical engineering, English, history, hospitality business management, humanities, integrated plant sciences, mechanical engineering, psychology, nursing, science, social sciences and viticulture and enology.
 
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
General Jim Mattis served as the 26th Secretary of Defense Jan. 2017 – Jan. 2019, working to strengthen America’s alliances and reorient the defense budget to address challenges posed by emerging threats. 

During his 43 years in the Marine Corps, General Mattis served as an infantry officer and commanded at various levels. Eventually he served simultaneously as the Commander of US Joint Forces Command and NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander for Transformation where he oversaw the transformation of capabilities for the US military and allied forces respectively. In his final tour as the Commander of U.S. Central Command he led 250,000 American and allied forces in fighting across the Middle East. 
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He is currently the Davies Family Distinguished Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and the author of the book, “Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead”. General Mattis is a member of the Tri-Cities Food Bank Board of Directors.

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