Apr 27, 2015 2 min read

California University of Pennsylvania will mark its 180th commencement with separate ceremonies for undergraduate and graduate students.

Ceremonies for graduate students will be held at 7 p.m. May 8 in the Cal U. Convocation Center. Master’s degree candidates will be vested in their academic hoods during the ceremony.

Ceremonies for bachelor’s and associate’s degree candidates will begin at 10 a.m. May 9, also in the Convocation Center.

Interim University President Geraldine M. Jones will confer the degrees and personally greet each graduate who walks across the stage. More than 900 undergraduates and 325 graduate students will receive their degrees, although not all will attend the ceremonies.

In keeping with Cal U.’s tradition of inviting distinguished alumni to address the graduates, Thomas M. Rutledge, Class of 1977, will speak at both ceremonies. Rutledge is president and chief executive officer of Charter Communications Inc., a leading broadband communications company and among the largest cable operators in the United States.

Prior to joining Charter in February 2012, Rutledge served as chief operating officer of Cablevision from 2004-11. His 37-year career in the cable industry also includes serving as president of Time Warner Cable. He began his career in 1977 at American Television and Communications Corp., a predecessor company of Time Warner Cable.

Rutledge, of Greenwich, Conn., serves on the board of directors of National Cable and Telecommunications Association, where he was chairman from 2008-10. He also is a member of the boards of CableLabs and C-SPAN. In 2011, he received the NCTA’s Vanguard Award for Distinguished Leadership, the cable industry’s highest honor. He has been inducted into both the Cable Hall of Fame and the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame.

Rutledge received a bachelor’s degree in economics from California University in 1977. He and his family have been generous supporters of scholarships for Cal U. students, including the Rutledge Internship Award, which provides financial support so juniors and seniors can accept unpaid or low-paying internships outside the local area.

Both ceremonies can be viewed live online at www.calu.edu. For more information about Cal U.’s spring 2015 commencement, visit www.calu.edu/events/commencement