The winter season is nearly here and with it comes cold weather, the holidays and commencement ceremonies.

The Baker University College of Arts and Sciences, School of Nursing, School of Professional and Graduate Studies, and School of Education will all host ceremonies on Dec. 15 and 16 on the Baldwin City campus in Collins Center.

Even with more than 400 students graduating, University President Pat Long says Baker strives to make the ceremonies personal.

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“This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for a lot of these students, and it’s important that we remember that and try to make it as memorable as possible,” Long said.

The School of Professional and Graduate Studies graduate degree commencement ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. Dec. 15 with the School of Education graduate degree commencement ceremony following at 4:30 p.m.

Brian Posler, executive vice president of academic affairs and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, will speak during the SPGS ceremony, while Rusty Meigs will speak to the 87 SOE graduates.

Posler, who is new to Baker this year, is participating in his first Baker graduation. Meigs is a board member on the Louisburg school board and long-time acquaintance of Long.

“We’ve got some great speakers this year,” Executive Assistant Myra Glover said. “They’re just some great people and I think the graduates will really enjoy hearing from them.”

Rich Howell will speak at the graduation at 1 p.m. Dec. 16, which includes the graduates of CAS, SOE undergrad, SON and SPGS undergrads.

Howell is a member of the Baker Board of Trustees but is also the father of one of the CAS student walking across the stage on Dec. 16.

“I think it’s just going to be really special for Rich to speak at the ceremony, especially with his son graduating,” Glover said.

Martha Harris, the head marshall for the College of Arts and Sciences, has the job of making sure everyone is in order.

“I help with figuring out how to seat everyone, getting everybody lined up and getting the procession underway in time so the ceremony can start on time,” Harris said. “It can get kind of crazy but this is what you’re working towards; it’s the fun part.”

Harris also carries the mace, a large stick-like object that contains the name of every president of Baker and was made out of wood from Parmenter Hall, at the front of every procession.

“It does take a lot of involvement from the CAS campus to make the graduations happen for all of them but after all, we are one University,” Glover said.