Judith Silver, retired Marshall University mathematics professor, will be the featured speaker at the winter commencement ceremony Dec. 14 at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena in downtown Huntington.
Silver, who taught mathematics at Marshall for 30 years before retiring last spring, said she is looking forward to sharing her experience with the graduates.
“I am honored to be invited to give the commencement address,” Silver said. “I am hoping that my remarks will be helpful to the graduates at some time in their life, so I think I will talk about regrets. At this point, I have five main ideas to share with them, along with some experience.”
Marshall President Stephen J. Kopp said Silver’s accomplishments and contributions to the university make her an excellent choice as commencement speaker.
“Dr. Silver made significant contributions to Marshall, the College of Science and the Department of Mathematics; but most importantly, to countless students throughout her remarkable career,” Kopp said. “She succeeded in making the study of mathematics challenging, yet enjoyable, for her students. It is exceedingly appropriate she was selected as the 2013-14 recipient of the Marshall and Shirley Reynolds Outstanding Teacher Award. We are honored she is willing to speak at our winter commencement and we look forward with great anticipation and eagerness to hearing her address. She most assuredly will enhance this very important day in the lives of our graduates.”
Mathematics professor Evelyn Pupplo-Cody said she admires Silver for her many accomplishments.
“In the 30 years that I have known Judy, I have never heard anyone say a negative thing about her,” Pupplo-Cody said. “Her colleagues appreciate all of her hard work and dedication to her job and to Marshall University. Her students appreciate her focus, clarity and fairness. I have a great admiration for Judy and what she has accomplished here at Marshall.”
Silver earned her Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Kentucky in 1988. From 2002 to 2005, she served as the associate chair for the Department of Mathematics, after an appointment as the interim head for the Division of Mathematics and Applied Science. She later served as interim associate dean of the College of Science twice—during the 2005-06 academic year, and again during the 2008-09 academic year.
Silver will return to the classroom next spring to teach the Yeager Seminar on art and mathematics.
Marshall began conducting a winter graduation ceremony in 2008 with convocation at the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center. Winter commencement began in 2009 and the tradition of having a faculty member deliver the keynote address has been a mainstay of the ceremony ever since. Commencement ceremonies begin at 2 p.m.
Alex James can be contacted at [email protected].