4,800 step into the real world Saturday

Ceremonies for Architecture, Business and Public Administration, Education, Engineering and Mines, Humanities, Law, Nursing and Science will begin in McKale Center at 9 a.m. NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin will be the guest speaker.

Agriculture, Fine Arts, Medicine, Pharmacy, Social and Behavioral Science and the School of Health-Related Professions ceremonies will begin in McKale Center at 1 p.m. Actor and 1986 University of Arizona alumnus Greg Kinnear will address the graduates.

Five people will receive honorary degrees.

Edith Sayre Auslander will receive an honorary doctor of law degree. She earned a master's degree in journalism in 1975 from the University of Arizona and is now director of human resources for TNI Partners.

Phyllis E. Ethridge will receive an honorary doctor of science degree. She earned a bachelor of science degree and a master's degree in nursing from the UA and was vice president for patient health services at St. Mary's Hospital from 1971 to 1994.

Esther Capin will receive an honorary doctor of law degree. She earned a bachelor of arts in psychology and a master's degree in education from the UA and now serves on the advisory boards of the Women's Studies Department and the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

James E. Rogers will receive an honorary doctor of law degree. He earned an undergraduate degree in accounting and a degree in law. The Las Vegas attorney owns Sunbelt Communications Education Foundation, which has donated money to a number of public and private schools, including the UA.

Andrew M. Greeley, a priest, novelist and sociologist, will receive an honorary doctor of law degree. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses at the UA for more than a decade for free.

Heather L. Branstetter and Parminder S. Suchdev will receive the Merrill P. Freeman Medals, Cac Minh Dao and Brianna Michelle Paul will receive the Robie Gold Medals, Ingrid M. Burger and Samuel Yao-Ming Ng will receive the Robert Logan Nugent Award and Provost Paul S. Sypherd will receive the Alumni Achievement Award.