BERKELEY-- More than 50 separate commencement ceremonies will take place between May 11 and May 29 on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley.

Among the highlights of the 1999 season:

o Terry McMillan, author of the best-selling novels "Waiting to Exhale" and "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," and a UC Berkeley alumna is the keynote speaker for the campus's annual Commencement Convocation, to be held Tuesday, May 11, at 4 p.m. in Zellerbach Auditorium.

o Armistead Maupin, author of "Tales of the City," a series of novels on life in San Francisco. He will speak at the English department's ceremony on Saturday, May 15, at 3 p.m. in the Greek Theater.

o Joseph Lelyveld, executive editor of The New York Times and 1986 Pulitzer Prize winner for his book on South Africa, "Move Your Shadow," will speak at the Graduate School of Journalism's ceremony on Saturday, May 15, at 3:30 p.m. in the Northgate Courtyard.

o Cheryl Mills, deputy counsel for the White House who presented President Clinton's defense in the Monica Lewinsky case, will speak at the African American Studies Department's ceremony on Saturday, May 15, at 8 p.m. in the Greek Theater.

o Ronald George, chief justice of the California Supreme Court will address graduates at the history department's ceremony on Friday, May 21, at 10 a.m. in Zellerbach Auditorium.

o Miguel Angel Rodriguez, president of Costa Rica, is guest speaker at the economics department's ceremony on Friday, May 21, at 3 p.m. in the Greek Theater.

o Steven Chu, 1997 Nobel Prize winner, will speak at the ceremony for physics, astronomy and physical science graduates on Friday, May 21, at 7 p.m. in Zellerbach Auditorium.

o Barbara Lee, congresswoman from California's 9th Congressional District, will address graduates of the Goldman School of Public Policy on Saturday, May 22, at 10:30 a.m. in Faculty Glade.

o Mortimer Zuckerman, publisher of U.S. News & World Report, New York Daily News and Atlantic Monthly, will speak to graduates of the Haas School of Business on Sunday, May 23, at 9 a.m. in the Greek Theater.

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Note: A complete list of confirmed commencement ceremonies is listed on the web at www.berkeley.edu/calendar/commencement99.html.