LDS Church President to address UVU graduates

LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson is filling up his speaker's card, announcing Thursday that he will make an appearance at Utah Valley University's commencement exercises May 1.

The church president is expected to address the school's largest-ever graduating class. The leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his wife, Frances, will also be the recipients of honorary degrees at the institution's 68th commencement.

Longtime friend of UVU Phyllis Jordan Christensen will receive an honorary degree.

President Monson also is expected to speak at Southern Utah University's graduation ceremony on May 2.

"President Monson has been a longtime supporter of Utah Valley University and its students, and we are pleased he has agreed to address our graduating class of 2009," said Elizabeth Hitch, the university's interim president. President Monson most recently visited the UVU campus during events commemorating the school's new university status in July. He was also in attendance at the institution's ground-breaking in Orem in 1975, as a member of the state Board of Regents.

UVU is expected to graduate 3,743 students, compared with 3,287 last year and 3,153 in 2007. The growth in the number of graduates reflects rising enrollment at one of the state's fastest-growing schools.

With more than 26,000 students, UVU is the second-largest state university in Utah.

"Our mission is to 'prepare professionally competent people of integrity who, as lifelong learners and leaders, serve as stewards of a globally interdependent community,' " Hitch said. "President Monson provides a model for students of those characteristics that we hope they demonstrate as graduates of this institution of higher learning. We look forward to hearing his message."

President Monson, who was named the 16th president of the LDS Church in February 2008, will speak during UVU's main ceremony, held from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the McKay Events Center on UVU's Orem campus.

The UVU commencement is not a ticketed event, and spokeswoman Erin Spurgeon said "anyone who wants to come, can." The university's McKay Center has 8,000 seats.

Tickets for the SUU commencement in Cedar City where President Monson is speaking have been restricted to two per graduate due to its smaller venue.

Convocations for the individual colleges at UVU will begin earlier on the morning of May 1, and extend throughout the day, with a break for the main commencement ceremony.

Over the years, Christensen has served on UVU advisory boards, been a member of the President's Circle, provided privately funded scholarships and helped numerous students attain an education through planned giving. In her personal and business life, Christensen has also provided a local community gathering place at the Holiday Lanes for some 50 years and has been instrumental in the development of UVU's Wasatch Campus.

"She is a great representative of Wasatch County for this distinct honor that is only reserved for very few," UVU Trustee Terry Shoemaker said.

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