Perdue, Dolle Honored at 78th Year Winter Commencement

SALISBURY, MD---Two Eastern Shore residents whose names are recognized well beyond the region will be honored at Salisbury University’s 78th year winter commencement. Some 583 students graduate on Saturday, December 20, at 2 p.m. in the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center.

During the ceremony the SU Alumni Association, representing the University's 30,000 alumni, presents benefactor and former SU Foundation Board member Frank Perdue with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

A native of the Salisbury area, Perdue attended SU from 1937-1939. He received an honorary doctorate in 1982.

He endowed the University’s Franklin P. Perdue School of Business in 1986. This was the first multimillion-dollar gift for the campus, but his vote of confidence led to other major bequests by Eastern Shore business leaders. The momentum from these gifts propelled the University’s growth in academic stature in the next decade. Longtime observers credit Perdue’s initial financial commitment as critical to current University successes.

The Association also presents Pam Winters Dolle of Bethany Beach, DE, with the Alumni Service Award. A 1976 graduate, she has remained active at her Alma Mater, serving on the Alumni Association's Board of Directors from 1997-2001 and as president until 2003. She and her husband, Rudolph, owners of Dolle's Candyland Inc., famous throughout resort beaches on the Shore, have made many gifts to the University and Association over the years, including the establishment of Dolle scholarships for two juniors in the Perdue School.

Senior Maggi Horseman, a fine arts major from Salisbury, delivers the commencement address. She speaks on life-changing elements of the University experience.  "When you go into a class and come out and say, 'My perspective of the world has changed,' that's something special," she said.  Horseman is the daughter of former SU faculty Tom Horseman and former staff member Carolyn Horseman.

Among undergraduates, 253 students receive the Bachelor of Science, 191 the Bachelor of Arts, 14 the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and seven the Bachelor of Fine Arts. Graduate degrees include the Master of Education--38, Master of Business Administration--36, Master of Arts - 24, Master of Science-nine, Master of Arts in Teaching - eight and Master of Social Work--three.

Admission to commencement is by ticket only. A reception follows in the Wicomico Room of the Guerrieri Univeristy Center. The reception does not require tickets.

For more information call 410-543-6030 or visit the SU Web site at www.salisbury.edu.