photo by Jack Opatrany   University of Houston-Clear Lake Professor of Literature Gretchen Mieszkowski will present the keynote address during University of Houston-Clear Lake’s Commencement Ceremony Friday, Dec. 19, 7 p.m., at Reliant Arena, One Reliant Park, Houston 77054.

Charter faculty member to speak at commencement

University of Houston-Clear Lake celebrates its fall 2008 Commencement Ceremony Friday, Dec. 19, 7 p.m., at Reliant Arena, One Reliant Park, Houston 77054.

UH-Clear Lake Professor of Literature Gretchen Mieszkowski will present the keynote address to the new graduates and their guests.

A charter faculty member of the UH-Clear Lake, Mieszkowski began her tenure at the university in 1974 and serves as the program convener for the Literature program in the School of Human Sciences and Humanities.

Mieszkowski earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Vassar College and both her master’s degree in English and doctorate in English from Yale University. She has been a Fellow of the American Council of Learned Societies and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University.

A prolific writer, Mieszkowski has written numerous papers for presentation and articles for publications. She is the author of two books: “Medieval Go-Betweens and Chaucer’s Pandarus” and “The Reputation of Criseyde: 1155-1500.”

In her commencement address Mieszkowski will reflect on what it was like to be a professor at UH-Clear Lake in the early days of the institution.

During the ceremony at Reliant Arena, 184 of 356 graduates who completed their degrees in the summer and 847 of 1,041 who have applied for graduation this fall will be recognized.

Commencement Kick-Off, a graduation reception sponsored by the university’s Office of Alumni and Community Relations for all graduates, their family and friends, will be held on Thursday, Dec. 18, 5:30-7 p.m., in UH-Clear Lake’s Bayou Building Atrium I and Garden Room, 2700 Bay Area Blvd., Houston 77058.

UH-Clear Lake is an upper-level university, with more than 7,500 students. Approximately 44,000 degrees have been conferred at the university since it opened its door in 1974.

For information regarding the graduation reception, call the Office of Alumni and Community Relations, 281-283-2021. For additional information about the commencement ceremony, call UH-Clear Lake’s Office of Academic Records, 281-283-2525.