DU Chancellor Emeritus to Speak at Mines Commencement

GOLDEN, Colo., April 27, 2007 – Daniel L. Ritchie, University of Denver chancellor emeritus and chairman and CEO of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, will speak at the Colorado School of Mines commencement ceremony, May 11 at 9 a.m. on Kafadar Commons, 1500 Illinois Street in Golden.

Ritchie served as DU's 16 th chancellor from 1989 to 2005 and chairman of the board from 2005 to 2007. He currently serves as president of the Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation, which focuses on early childhood education and development and on the board of the Daniels Fund, which supports programs that encourage personal responsibility and achievement by funding college scholarships and community programs.

The Mines Board of Trustees will award 495 bachelor of science degrees, 120 master's degrees and 35 doctorate degrees.

During the 133rd commencement ceremony, honorary degrees will be awarded to Ritchie, Stephen D. Bechtel Jr., chairman retired and director of worldwide engineering and construction firm Bechtel Group, Inc., and Wayne W. Murdy, chief executive officer of Newmont Mining Corporation.

Distinguished Achievement Medals will be presented to:

• Harry M. “Red” Conger, senior vice president of South American Mining Operations and Development for Phelps Dodge
• Timothy M. Marquez, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of Venoco, Inc.
• Don L. Warner, dean emeritus, School of Mines and Metallurgy and professor emeritus of Geological Engineering, University of Missouri-Rolla