The 2011 Aquinas College Commencement will be held on Saturday, May 7 at 2 p.m. in the Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center, 1580 East Fulton Street. Approximately 500 students will be taking part in the graduation ceremony. Commencement is the opening event of the Aquinas125th anniversary celebration. There will be anniversary events throughout the 2011-2012 year with Commencement 2012 wrapping up the year long celebration.

Addressing this year’s class will be Rev. John I. Jenkins, CSC, University of Notre Dame president.

A member of the Notre Dame faculty since 1990, Father Jenkins was elected president-elect in 2004 and became the University’s 17th president in 2005. He served the previous four years as vice president and associate provost.

A professor of philosophy at Notre Dame, Father Jenkins also was religious superior of the Holy Cross priests and brothers from 1997 to 2000. He was ordained a priest at Notre Dame in 1983.

Author of Knowledge and Faith in Thomas Aquinas, Father Jenkins continues to teach ancient philosophy, medieval philosophy and the philosophy of religion at Notre Dame. He also has had scholarly articles published in The Journal of Philosophy, Medieval Philosophy and Theology and The Journal of Religious Ethics.

He earned two philosophy degrees at Oxford University, a B.Phil. in 1987 and D.Phil. in 1989. While at Oxford, he taught as an adjunct professor in Notre Dame’s London program. Father Jenkins also earned a master of divinity degree and licentiate in sacred theology from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley in 1988. Prior to joining the Congregation of Holy Cross, he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in philosophy from Notre Dame in 1976 and 1978.

Honorary degrees will be presented to Father Jenkins, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters; Darrell T. (Ted) Thompson ’52, Honorary Doctor of Science; Peter Sturrus ’77, Honorary Doctor of Science; Denise Christy ’82, Honorary Doctor of Business; and In recognition of the 125th anniversary of Aquinas College honorary degrees will also be awarded to Sr. Jean Milhaupt. O.P., Ph.D., Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters '45; and Lyle Morrison ’52, Honorary Doctor of Business.