MILWAUKEE—The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee’s 2009 Spring Commencement will be held Sunday, May 17, at the U.S. Cellular Arena, 400 W. Kilbourn Ave. Due to the number of graduates, there are two commencement ceremonies, with graduate participation determined by the school or college attended. Energy expert and alumnus Branko Terzic will give the commencement address. He will receive an Honorary Doctor of Science degree in Engineering at the Gold ceremony.
EDITOR’S NOTE: More information about Terzic is at the end of this news release.
An estimated 2,500 bachelor’s, 800 master’s and 100 Ph.D. degree candidates have been invited to participate in the May 17 ceremony. For more information visit http://www.uwm.edu/commencement.
BLACK CEREMONY, 9 A.M.
This ceremony includes bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. candidates from the following schools and colleges: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, College of Letters and Science, School of Information Studies and the Peck School of the Arts.
Chancellor Carlos E. Santiago, UW System Board of Regents member John Drew and UWM Alumni Association representative Larry Schnuck will welcome the participants.
GOLD CEREMONY, 1:30 P.M.
This ceremony includes bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. candidates from the following schools and colleges: Sheldon B. Lubar School of Business, School of Education, College of Engineering and Applied Science, College of Health Sciences, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare and College of Nursing.
Chancellor Carlos E. Santiago and UW System Regent Charles Pruitt, as well as UWM Alumni Association representative Larry Schnuck, will welcome graduates.
Branko Terzic will give the commencement address and also will be awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science degree in Engineering.
Winners of the 2009 UWM Alumni Association Distinguished Alumnus awards also will be recognized at the Gold Ceremony. They are Greg Cook, Susan Firer, John Hibler, Allen Caucutt and Allan Klotsche.
Energy expert Terzic receives honorary degree
Branko Terzic (’72 BS Engineering), one of the most respected leaders in the energy field today, will receive an Honorary Doctor of Science degree in Engineering from UWM at the Spring Commencement Gold Ceremony.
Terzic has played a major role, over many years, in shaping positive and sustainable energy policy both nationally and globally.
With expertise in the intricacies of energy regulation, Terzic has served in a variety of capacities – as a state and federal energy regulator, a utility chief executive officer and a consultant. Today he is a Global and U.S. Regulatory Policy Leader in Energy and Resources for Deloitte Services LP in Washington, D.C.
As a member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from 1990 to 1993, Terzic was instrumental in developing federal energy policy that continues to guide today’s natural gas markets. He embraced reform and sought to achieve a new balance between regulation and competition.
“Energy companies highly value his assistance with strategic direction, and policymakers seek his opinion on policy alternatives and their potential implications,” says one nominator.
The natural gas policy he helped develop has resulted in higher levels of domestic natural gas production, a dramatic expansion in the national gas pipeline network and more robust competition in wholesale natural gas markets.
More recently, Terzic has played an important role in the development of climate change policy, in the United States and also on an international stage. “In that role Mr. Terzic has advocated that the U.S. act on climate change in a manner that strikes a balance between sound environmental and energy policy,” says another nominator.
He is often asked to provide commentary and advice, and has spoken to many media outlets on the topic of energy, including CNBC, CNN, PBS and Fox News.
In his civic life, Terzic is just as committed.
In 2008, he was elected to a second two-year term as chairman of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s ad hoc group of experts on cleaner electricity production from coal and other fossil fuels.
Also last year, he was reappointed a member of the National Petroleum Council, the advisory body to the U.S. Secretary of Energy. He is well known in his profession as a leader in advancing opportunities for women and minorities, and was recognized with an award from the Women’s Council on Energy and Environment at its last annual meeting.
In addition, he was named a UWM Distinguished Alumnus in 1999, and has dedicated untold hours to preserving the history and culture of Serbia.
