Arizona Western College will award just under 2000 degrees and certificates at the Veterans Memorial Stadium Friday, May 13th at 8:00PM. Almost 700 graduates from Northern Arizona University Yuma Branch Campus and the University of Arizona's Yuma campus will also receive their degrees at the 2011 Commencement.

Petronella Newhard has been chosen as the AWC Commencement speaker. Petronella is in the AWC Honors program and receiving Associate of Arts in General Studies and an AGEC-A Certificate. She is also graduating with Distinction and Honors. NAU-Yuma's 2011 Commencement speaker is Hanh Dung Dao. Dao is a biology major from Vietnam.

For those who can't make it to the ceremony, there will be four ways to view the 2011 Commencement: Live in person at Veteran's Memorial Stadium, live on Time Warner Cable Channel 74, Streaming on line at www.AZWestern.edu, and ordering copies on DVD. A copy of the 2011 ceremony is $20.00. Copies can be purchased at the AWC Foundation. Call Susie Pino at AWC Foundation at 928-317-7620 to order. The broadcast will begin at 8:00PM. The ceremony will continue to rebroadcast throughout the following week, also.

All graduates must report to the Hawk's Gym no later than 7:00 p.m. The Veterans Memorial stadium is located next to Gila Ridge High School at 7150 E. 24th Street.