COMMENCEMENT 1985 : California Lutheran College

California Lutheran College in Thousand Oaks held its graduation ceremonies Sunday in Mt. Clef Stadium.

Degrees: 270 diplomas awarded, including 195 graduate degrees.

Speaker: James Wenzel, noted for his work in the ocean-engineering field.

Honorary Degrees: Wenzel, an honorary doctor of humane letters. Amalie Roth Shannon, former vice president of Cedar Crest College in Allentown, Pa., an honorary doctor of law degree. Martin (Bud) Smith, real estate developer and entrepreneur, an honorary doctor of law degree.

James Gottlieb Wenzel, Doctor of Humane Letters: An oceanographic engineer, businessman and inventor, Wenzel has been a lifelong Lutheran and a member of the college’s Board of Regents between 1975 and 1978, a college spokeswoman said.

Amalie Roth Shannon, Doctor of Law: A representative of American Lutherans at last year’s Lutheran World Federation meeting in Hungary, Shannon is retired and lives in Arizona. She is a member of a committee planning the merger of the two Lutheran churches in the country, a spokeswoman said.

Martin (Bud) Smith, Doctor of Law: Smith, of Oxnard, started out in business 40 years ago with a drive-in restaurant, a spokeswoman said. Now his businesses include hotels, industrial parks and apartment complexes. He helped found a bank and is a former regent at the college.