More than 1,000 Missouri University of Science and Technology graduates will be awarded degrees during two commencement ceremonies to be held at Missouri S&T this month.

Natalie M. “Nikki” Krawitz of Columbia, Mo., vice president for finance and administration for the University of Missouri System, will speak at the first commencement ceremony, which will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, May 17. More than 500 degrees will be awarded to all graduate and non-engineering candidates during Friday’s ceremony.

Missouri State Sen. Dan W. Brown of Rolla will speak at the second commencement ceremony, which will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 18. More than 500 degrees will be awarded to all undergraduate engineering candidates during Saturday’s ceremony.

Both ceremonies will be held in the Gale Bullman Multi-Purpose Building, located at 10th Street and Bishop Avenue in Rolla.

Krawitz, who will be awarded the Chancellor Medal during commencement, has served in her current position since 2002, helping the university achieve millions of dollars in cost savings through administrative streamlining, including implementation of systemwide e-Procurement, an online automated travel reimbursement system and revenue generation through investment management. Her system of debt financing and securing an Aa1 credit rating has enabled new construction and renovation of facilities on all four campuses and the health system.

Krawitz presents workshops on higher education budgeting and finance for the American Council on Education and has authored papers on higher education budgeting, business process redesign and administrative streamlining. She has held leadership positions in the Association for Public and Land Grant Universities and the Council on Government Relations. In 2010, she received the National Association of College and University Business Officers Distinguished Business Officer Award. She serves on the Landmark Bank Board, Stephens College Board of Trustees, Ragtag Cinema Board and the Columbia, Mo., TIF Commission.

A member of the School of Accountancy Advisory Board, Krawitz team-teaches an advanced elective for master’s students in accountancy. She earned a bachelor of arts from Washington University in St. Louis in 1965, a master of arts from the Columbia University Teachers College in 1967 and a master of accounting degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1982.

Brown, who will speak at the Saturday, May 18, commencement ceremony, was sworn into office in the Missouri Senate in January 2011. He represents the 16th Senatorial District of Missouri, which includes Rolla. Previously he represented the 149th District in the Missouri House of Representatives. In addition to his legislative duties, Brown has practiced veterinary medicine in the Rolla area for more than 30 years and has served on the Missouri Veterinary Licensing Board.

Brown was named an Honorary Knight of St. Patrick at Missouri S&T in 2012. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association, the Missouri Farmers Association, Missouri Farm Bureau, Rolla Area Chamber of Commerce and Quail Forever, and is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association. He is a charter member of Mid-Missouri Energy and Paseo Biofuel.

Brown is a graduate of Houston High School and earned a bachelor of science degree in agriculture from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He graduated summa cum laude with a doctorate of veterinary medicine from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine in Columbia, Mo.