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This Week in Pictures | 07/28/2012 - 08/03/2012

In one of his final acts as LSU chancellor, Michael V. Martin presided over the university's 278th commencement exercises on Friday, Aug. 3, in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center as 686 students received degrees. Interim LSU System President William Jenkins conferred degrees, and Kevin L. Cope (pictured), LSU Faculty Senate president, served as mace bearer at LSU's 278th commencement exercises on Friday, Aug. 3, in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Actor and LSU alumnus Michael Papajohn delivered the commencement address. Papajohn made a name for himself on the baseball field during LSU's inaugural trip to the College World Series in 1986.
A truly good guy who makes a living playing bad guys, Papajohn is best known for playing the carjacker who killed Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben in “Spider-Man,” and is also known for doing Adam Sandler’s stunts in “The Waterboy” and playing Kevin Costner’s nemesis in “For the Love of the Game.” Hayley Kropog was the recipient of the University Medal, awarded to the graduate with the highest undergraduate grade-point average, during LSU's commencement exercises. Pictured are Manship School of Mass Communication Dean Jerry Ceppos, Kropog, Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost Stuart Bell and Chancellor Mike Martin. During the commencement ceremony, Lt. Col. Lawrence Burns, professor of military science, recognized LSU’s five newly commissioned ROTC officers. A separate commissioning ceremony was held on Thursday, Aug. 2, at the Dalton J. Woods Auditorium in the Energy, Coast and Environment Building.
Of the 686 summer commencement graduates, 212 earned master’s degrees, four received a certificate of education specialist and 100 received doctoral degrees. The August 2012 graduating class represented 45 Louisiana parishes, 35 U.S. states and 28 foreign countries. Women made up 51.75 percent of the summer commencement graduates and men made up 48.25 percent. The oldest graduate was 62 and three graduates were the youngest at 20. Commencement is not just a special achievement for the new LSU graduate, but is an accomplishment shared by entire families.

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