Park University’s Gilbert (Ariz.) Campus to Hold its Inaugural Commencement Ceremony on April 30

April 14, 2022 — Park University’s Gilbert (Ariz.) Campus will hold its inaugural commencement ceremony for graduates on Saturday, April 30, starting at 11 a.m. (Arizona time) at Paloma Community Church in Mesa, Ariz. About 70 students are expected to participate in the ceremony to receive their bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Brigette Peterson, mayor of the Town of Gilbert, will provide the keynote address. Peterson, who has been mayor since January 2021, previously served more than five years on the Gilbert Town Council. Prior being elected to the town council, Peterson served on the Gilbert Planning Commission for more than 14 years.

Park University President Shane Smeed, who was appointed president in January after serving 13 months as interim president, will also speak to the graduates and will confer degrees. Also scheduled to make remarks are Yira Brimage, Gilbert Campus vice president, who began her role in November 2021, and Laurie DiPadova-Stocks, Ph.D., professor of public administration.

The University, which has supported students from around the globe in pursuing their higher education dreams since 1875 from its flagship campus in Parkville, Mo., began offering classes and degree programs at the Gilbert Campus in October 2018 after receiving approval by the Higher Learning Commission and the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education.

Park University’s home in Gilbert is in the heart of the town’s Heritage District at the University Building, 92 W. Vaughn Ave. The Gilbert Campus is one of two Park locations in the Phoenix area and among three campuses in Arizona. The University has campuses at Luke Air Force Base in Glendale and at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson. The Gilbert Campus is among 41 campuses in Park’s system, which includes 31 campuses on military installations across the country and extensive online programs. The University currently serves 13,250 students annually worldwide, including about 500 in Gilbert.