(Photos by August Jennewein)

It’s hats off this Saturday to the more than 700 students participating in commencement celebrations at the University of Missouri–St. Louis.

Three ceremonies will take place throughout the day Dec. 19 in the Mark Twain Athletic & Fitness Center on UMSL’s North Campus. The first, beginning at 10 a.m., honors graduates from the College of Education, College of Fine Arts and Communication, School of Social Work and the Public Policy Administration Program.

At 2 p.m., graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences will cross the stage. Both the morning and afternoon ceremonies will feature musical performances by the University Percussion Ensemble, University Singers and the University Symphonic Band. “I Chose UMSL” banners will be on hand for attendees wishing to snap “billboard” photos before and after the proceedings.

James M. Krueger, retiring vice chancellor for managerial and technological services, will address graduates of the College of Business Administration, the College of Nursing and the UMSL/Washington University Joint Undergraduate Engineering Program on Saturday evening.

In addition, attendees at the 6 p.m. ceremony for those in the College of Business Administration, College of Nursing and the UMSL/Washington University Joint Undergraduate Engineering Program will hear from speaker James M. Krueger, who joined the UMSL business faculty in 1975 and is retiring as vice chancellor for managerial and technological services this month.

“Jim has served each chancellor superbly and with the utmost integrity,” said UMSL Chancellor Thomas F. George, “dedicating 41 years to the students, faculty, staff, alumni and the entire UMSL community.”

During his long career at UMSL, Krueger’s counsel and outside-of-the-box thinking have been instrumental in financing projects such as the Express Scripts complex, the Oak Hall residence hall, UMSL at Grand Center, the Recreation and Wellness Center, the Science Learning Building, the Optometry Patient Care Center and Anheuser-Busch Hall, the future College of Business Administration home.

Krueger became associate dean of business and director of undergraduate studies at UMSL in 1986, and in 1988 he was named associate vice chancellor for academic affairs. He also served two terms as acting director of the Public Policy Administration Program and has been a faculty adviser to international honor societies for accounting and business students at various times. A certified public accountant and certified government financial manager, he hopes to continue lending his time and expertise in volunteer activities with various not-for-profit organizations following his retirement.

For more information on Saturday’s events, see umsl.edu/commencement.