University of Arkansas officials said Friday that 4,533 names will be added to the U of A’s historic Senior Walk over the course of the summer, as the university adds its Class of 2012 to the more than three miles of concrete walkways that list the names of U of A graduates, beginning with the original graduating class of 1876.
The process of adding graduates’ names is time consuming for many reasons, said Dave Dawson, the university’s registrar of students. Though thousands of students take part in December and May commencement ceremonies, sometimes students actually complete their last remaining graduation obligations after the ceremonies are held.
The university waits several months after the May commencement ceremony each year to begin the process of engraving names in campus walkways for three primary reasons: to ensure that students whose names will appear have in fact finalized all degree requirements and related paperwork; to allow the process of creating and proofing the special rubber stencils used to carve the thousands of names into concrete; and to account for the proper weather conditions necessary to conduct the work. Read More
