Darrell Rishel was one of more than 2,300 candidates for a baccalaureate degree Saturday who exited the gym floor with facial expressions of relief and joy. His mother, father, two grandmothers and brother attended commencement.

"His degree is from the College of Business Administration in accounting," his mother, Eleanor Rishel said. "I'm very impressed."

Friends and family of the candidates for graduation filled the Rec Hall for the 299th commencement ceremony of the University, which Richard Barton, associate professor of communications and student marshal escort, described as "both personal and popular."

"I've attended maybe 10 graduations and I have feelings of great pleasure and happiness for the students and parents," Jonathan Moore, associate professor of English said.

"This is the first I've participated in. I graduated here with my masters and have memories of my graduation. I'm proud that our college marshal was from nursing," said Barbara Doberneck, a nursing instructor in the College of Health and Human Development.

Cameras flashed throughout the stands during both ceremonies which featured speaker Annette Strauss, mayor of Dallas, Texas.

Strauss told the graduates to "meet the challenges of their peacetime generation. In times of great promise, welcome all challenges or you will get bored and boredom will always drive you up a wall."

Past generations had to fight to preserve their way of life but this generation must realize that the life of the planet is at stake, she said.

"The future will not merely be a continuation of the past," Strauss said, urging the graduating students to "celebrate the differences among humankind."

"Compassion requires a moral toughness and courage," she added.

Degrees were conferred one college at a time. Students from each college rose, and watched as their student marshal presented the college's banner and accepted a diploma from the college dean, as a representative of his or her peers.

Student marshals for fall commencement were selected for outstanding achievement in their colleges.

Jonathan Henry Phillippi, student marshal for the School of Communications, described the experience: "It's great, but it makes you nervous. It hasn't really sunk in yet. Later when I look back it will have more impact. Right now I'm too shocked."

Barton said the ceremony proved to be fun and rewarding.

After all the college degrees were conferred, Suzie McConnell, member of the 1988 gold medal winning United States Women's Olympic Basketball Team, received her diploma in the College of Education personally from University President Bryce Jordan.

The colleges of Arts and Architecture, Business Administration, Earth and Mineral Sciences, Liberal Arts and Science degrees were conferred at the 10:30 a.m. ceremony. The colleges of Agriculture, Education, Engineering, Health and Human Development and School of Communications degrees were conferred at the 2 p.m. ceremony.

After each ceremony, little boys, anxious to see their big brother or sister, pushed into the crowd while men in suits stood with 35mm cameras around their necks, smiling. And despite the cold air and wet snow, a crowd formed for one last picture on the Nittany Lion Shrine.