Alumnus to deliver Upper Iowa University commencement address

Fayette, IA (04/20/2018) — An Upper Iowa University (UIU) alumnus and Peacock Hall of Fame inductee from Phoenix, Arizona, will deliver the commencement address during the University's 156th graduation ceremonies at Harms-Eischeid Stadium in Fayette, Iowa, on Saturday, May 5.

Marshall Richards graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education at UIU in 1975. He began his professional career with the Iowa Development Commission in Des Moines, Iowa, and later joined the Bar-S Foods Company as a sales representative. Richards started a 29-year career with Frito-Lay Inc. in 1986. Less than a decade later, he was promoted to customer management sales vice president for the company's Mountain Region in Phoenix, Arizona. He closed out his career by being recognized by the Arizona Food Marketing Alliance as the 2013 Supplier of the Year and the Mountain Region's H.W. Lay Award for Sales Excellence in 2015.

Richards was inducted into the UIU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011, joining his father, George, a 1983 inductee, as one of only two father-and-son honorees in the University's Hall of Fame. Marshall Richards was a four-year letterwinner in football from 1971-74. During his senior year, the Peacock quarterback was named All-Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Second Team, All-District 15 First Team and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics First Team.

Over 600 students are participating in the 2018 Commencement ceremonies. Graduates of the University's MBA, School of Business, and School of Science and Mathematics programs will participate in a 10 a.m. ceremony. This ceremony also includes associate degrees with an emphasis in General Business.The ceremony will be held at 2:30 p.m. for MPA, MSC, MEd, MSA, Andres School of Education, and School of Liberal Arts graduates. Associate degrees with an emphasis in Liberal Arts, Criminal Justice and Psychology will also be awarded during this program.

To facilitate travel plans, the University will use the weather forecast as of Wednesday, May 2, to make its decision on whether to relocate the ceremony indoors. The announcement will be posted on the homepage of the UIU website at www.uiu.edu. Only in an emergency would the decision be made on Saturday to relocate the ceremony.

In the case of inclement weather, the ceremonies will be moved to Dorman Gymnasium at Fayette Campus. All seating is on a first-come basis. An overflow viewing area will be located in the Student Center ballrooms. Guests at this location can view the full ceremonies on live video. Live streaming of the broadcast may also be viewed on the day of commencement at uiu.edu.

For additional information about Upper Iowa University's 2018 Commencement ceremonies, including concessions, dining, parking, shuttle services, lodging, and stadium rules, visit uiu.edu/support/commencement.html.

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