Graduation Celebration

	On Friday, May 12th. the Department of City and Regional Planning proudly celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2006. The ceremony was held in the Trillium Room at the William and Ida Friday Continuing Education Center and was followed by a reception. The keynote speech was delivered by DCRP alumnus, Roger Waldon! We would like to thank Roger for his inspirational speech and best wishes to our departing students!
	2006 Commencement Address Roger Waldon (MRP '76) May 12, 2006 I am very pleased to be here, and highly honored to be offering remarks at your commencement exercise. Thank you for asking me. I feel like I know many of you from the chances I’ve had during these past two years to be with you at New East, talking about all kinds of things. I am grateful for this opportunity today, because I have some things I want to say to you. For those of you whom I haven’t met - I am a 1976 graduate of this department, worked a while for a regional planning agency, and then spent 20 years as Chapel Hill’s Planning Director. I currently work for a private planning firm, Clarion Associates, helping local governments design and implement growth management strategies. What a great course of study you selected! This is an important field of professional work, and your timing is most excellent! The world needs this profession desperately right now - the world needs people with your knowledge and abilities - and you are in the right place at the right time to make an impact. I am excited for you. This is going to be a very interesting ride, and it is fun for all of us to be here at your beginning. Read the complete address... (click here) ... I want to close with a quote from one of my favorite authors. Yes, it is time for a comment from the wisest of us all, Dr. Seuss. You’ll remember it, I know. Here it is: You’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So . . get on your Way !!! You, class of 2006, are going to move mountains, I just know it.
	Student speeches were delivered by Justin Sabrsula (MRP) and Lisa Bates (Ph.D.). We thank them both for sharing with us such wonderful stories about their journeys towards planning degrees.
	Student Award Winners (pictured left to right, with Bill Rohe and Carolyn Turner) Outstanding Class Contributions Beale Award – Emily Snyder Bruce and Chris Egan Information Technology Award – Peter Ohlms NC-APA Outstanding Student Award – Anna Leos-Urbel American Institute of Certified Planners Outstanding Student Award – Katherine Henderson Louise Venable Coker Award for Best Masters Project – Mary Donegan
	Everyone deserved an award! List of Graduates & Additional Class Accomplishments