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Academy Award winner Tom Woodruff Jr., special effects artist, actor director and producer, will address students and their families, faculty and staff as the keynote speaker for Lycoming College's 170th commencement, May 12. Woodruff also will be awarded honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Lycoming during the commencement ceremony.
Woodruff has entertained and terrified moviegoers for decades by creating some of film's scariest and most lifelike monsters and aliens, and other special effects. Notable works include "Death Becomes Her," for which he received an Academy Award, last year's "IT," "Annabelle: Creation" and the Netflix feature "Bright" including past hits such as "The Santa Clause," "Starship Troopers," "Alien: Resurrection" and "Mortal Kombat." Coming this year is "Sorry to Bother You," "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" and "The Predator."
Born in Williamsport in 1959, Woodruff graduated from Loyalsock Township High School and then from Lycoming College in '80 with majors in business administration and theatre. Classic films like "Planet of the Apes" and "Frankenstein" influenced his career. Woodruff went to Hollywood and broke into the film industry, securing early film credits for the '84 film "The Terminator" and in '86 for "Aliens."
In 1988, Woodruff co-founded Amalgamated Dynamics Inc. (ADI) with Alec Gillis, in Chatsworth, Calif., to provide specialized animatronics and prosthetic make-up for movies. ADI has contributed to the success of more than 1400 movies and television shows. He has an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, a BAFTA for Best Special Effects for "Death Becomes Her," and has nominations for "Alien 3" and "Starship Troopers."
Lycoming College awarded Woodruff the Dr. James E. Douthat Outstanding Achievement Award for alumni in 1993. He returned to campus in 2006 as the freshman Convocation speaker and in 2017 to discuss his creative work and Hollywood career.
Don Francis, president of the Associate of Independent College & Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP), retires in June after 25 years of service, will receive an honorary degree at the commencement ceremony. During his tenure, he helped Lycoming College and other Pennsylvania private college navigate contentious issues, like rising tuition cost and fiscal legislation.
Francis' knowledge of higher education and strategic abilities proved vital to Lycoming College. His advocacy has been instrumental in achieving funding of PHEAA and Ready to Succeed grant programs.
Graduating senior Ericka Booker, Spanish major with a minor in human services from Brooklyn, N.Y., will deliver a greeting from the senior class. Booker is an active member of the College community with involvement in Alpha Sigma Tau, Student Orientation Staff, L.A.C.E.S. (Lycoming Advancing Communities through Education and Service," the Leadership Experience at Gettysburg, W.I.S.E. (Williamsport Internship Summer Experience), Dance Club, and R.A.R. (Revolution Against Rape).
Booker has helped to plan and participated in the inaugural Black Women Empowerment Workshop this spring. She also worked as a student assistant in the Health Services department. Booker was recently inducted into Rho Lambda Honor Society at Lycoming College.