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Dec. 9, 2008 issue
Approximately 1,600 eligible to walk at Dec. 14 commencement ceremonies; Florek is keynote speaker


By Ward Mullens

 

Eastern Michigan University alumnus and star of the television show, "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit," Dann Florek will be the keynote speaker for commencement scheduled Dec. 14, at 2 p.m., in the Convocation Center.

Approximately 1,600 students will be eligible to participate in Eastern Michigan University's winter commencement ceremony. Approximately 1,100 undergraduates and 519 graduate students (including nine doctoral candidates) are eligible to participate.

Dann Florek

GIVING THE KEYNOTE: Dann
Florek, an EMU alumnus and
star of the television show,
"Law and Order: Special Victims
Unit," will be the keynote
speaker at EMU's Dec. 14
commencement ceremonies.

Doors open at 12:45 p.m. Tickets are limited to graduates and their families and friends.

Susan W. Martin, EMU's new president, will preside over her first commencement ceremony.

Serving as grand marshal for the ceremony will be Russ Larson, professor of English language and literature. Faculty marshals are Deanna Mihaly, world languages, and Jon Margerum-Leys, teacher education.

The EMU Symphonic Band, conducted by John Zastoupil, will provide music. The Army ROTC will provide the Color Guard.

Florek is a professional actor, director and current television star of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." Trained at EMU and Julliard, he has worked steadily as an actor for 15 years in theatre, movies and television before garnering attention on the popular television series "L.A. Law" and "Law & Order."

He has portrayed Captain Donald Cragen in both "Law & Order" (1990-93) and in "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999 to present). An active member of the Directors Guild of America, Florek also has directed several episodes of the hit show. Florek has been with "Law & Order," one of the longest running dramatic series in television history, for 17 years.

In addition to his success with "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," Florek has appeared in several feature films, including Paul Mazursky's "Moon Over Parador," Alan Alda's "Sweet Liberty," Alan Parker's "Angel Heart," as well as "The Flintstones," "Hard Rain" and "Beautiful Joe." He also appeared in HBO's "The Pentagon Wars" and the Emmy Award-winning "From the Earth to the Moon."