So depart that daily thou mayest better serve thy fellowmen, thy country, and thy God.

For nearly 4,000 undergraduates, graduate and doctoral students, the countdown to graduation will culminate this weekend with the flip of a tassel and the words from this Ohio University hallmark.

Nearly 14,000 audience members are expected at each of the three commencement ceremonies on June 12 and 13 at the Convocation Center. The ceremony for masters and doctoral graduates will take place at 9:30 a.m. Friday, June 12. Undergraduates will be honored at one of two commencement exercises at 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 13.

Undergraduates are grouped according to college size. The 9:30 a.m. ceremony will honor graduates of the College of Business, College of Fine Arts, Regional Campuses, Russ College of Engineering and Technology, Scripps College of Communication and University College. The second ceremony at 2 p.m. will honor graduates of the College of Arts & Sciences, College of Education, College of Health & Human Services and the Honors Tutorial College.

This year, Herman Leonard, a 1947 Ohio University alumnus and world-renowned photographer whose images captured the history and movement of jazz will be speaking at Ohio University's two undergraduate ceremonies. Leonard has received numerous national accolades for his work, including the Milt Hinton Award for Excellence in Jazz Photography, the Lifetime Achievement Award from Downbeat magazine and the Lucie Achievement in Portraiture Award.

Speaking at the graduate commencement will be Ohio University Professor of Political Science Patricia Weitsman. Since joining Ohio University in January 1995, Weitsman has twice received the University Professor award (1997-98 and 2000-01) as well as the College of Arts and Sciences' Outstanding Teacher Award in 1997. At the 2008 graduate commencement ceremony, Graduate Student Senate members honored Weitsman with the Outstanding Graduate Faculty Award, recognizing Weitsman's passion for teaching and advising.

Tickets are not required for admission to Ohio University's commencement ceremonies. Seating at the Convocation Center is on a first-come, first-served basis, and guests are encouraged to arrive early.

On commencement days, campus parking restrictions are not enforced, and guests are welcome to park in any of the university lots without being ticketed. For a complete map of parking lots on the Athens campus, visit www.ohiou.edu/athens/parking/.

The Convocation Center doors will open approximately one hour prior to ceremonies. Guests should enter the main doors off Richland Avenue. Individuals with limited mobility may enter the Convocation Center through the ramped area of the service entrance on the south side overlooking the river.

Students are asked to assemble in the Convocation Center garage area 45 minutes prior to the ceremony.  Signs will be placed throughout the garage area indicating each college's location. Post-graduation receptions will be held by each college following the commencement exercises.

Additional information on travel, lodging and more can be found at www.ohio.edu/commencement.