Grads Galore as UC Celebrates Record-Setting Spring Commencement

Another Spring Commencement at the University of Cincinnati; another record number of degrees conferred.

UC will confer more than 6,400 degrees during Spring

Commencement

ceremonies, surpassing last spring's record. The tradition-rich celebration will be held from May 1-2 in Fifth Third Arena, and it includes multiple ceremonies:

• Doctoral Hooding and Master’s Recognition Ceremony at 10 a.m. May 1, with welcome by UC Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School Marshall Montrose.
  
  
• Undergraduate Commencement Ceremonies (bachelor and associate degrees) will be presented at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. May 2: with welcome by UC President Santa J. Ono and commencement address by UC alumnus Kirk Perry, president of brand solutions at Google and a former Procter & Gamble executive. Perry, who will receive an honorary doctorate, is among a group of five distinguished guests who will receive special recognition at Commencement.

The class of May 2015 is highlighted by 6,335 students eligible to graduate. They are earning 659 associate degrees, 3,663 bachelor's degrees, 1,564 master's degrees and 296 doctoral degrees for a total of 6,445 (some students earn multiple degrees). A

closer look at the Commencement statistics

is available online.

CEREMONY DETAILS

• Doors to the arena open 90 minutes in advance of each ceremony.
  
  
• Parking is free in all West Campus garages both days.
  
  
• Tickets are required for Spring Commencement. Seating is general admission; first come, first seated.
  
  
• The Family Friendly Zone in the Russell C. Myers Alumni Center is an alternative location to view Commencement via simulcast. It is intended especially for individuals with limited mobility, small children or special needs but available to everyone. For Saturday's ceremonies, the African American Cultural and Resource Center (near the arena) and the MainStreet Cinema (inside Tangeman University Center) also will be open and feature live simulcast.
  
  
• Immediately following each ceremony, the Commencement Office and UC Alumni Association will host a reception for all graduates and guests near the Russell C. Myers Alumni Center.
  
  
• A map of campus with details about the ceremony, parking, dining and more is available online.

JOIN IN WITH SOCIAL MEDIA

Graduates and guests are encouraged to

take part in an interactive social media component

to the event. Video boards in the arena and a display in the alumni center will showcase messages of congratulations, encouragement and celebration posted on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine, etc.) with the hashtag #UCGrad15 during the ceremony.

WEBCAST VIEWING

For those not able to attend the ceremony, Commencement can be

viewed via webcast

.

UC GRADS GET JOBS

Data collected by UC’s

Career Development Center

in its spring 2014 Destination Report for bachelor’s degree students show that UC graduates transition well into the workforce. Based on responses in the report:

• UC bachelor's degree graduates’ average starting salary was $44,057.
  
  
• 94 percent accepted a position related to their field of study.
  
  
• 63 percent participated in a co-op or internship before graduating.
  
  
• 69 percent who participated in a co-op or internship have full-time jobs after graduating.
  
  
• 79 Fortune 500 companies hired UC graduates.

STAND-OUT STUDENT STORIES

Read in-depth about some of this spring's graduates:

• UC Names Six Winners of Highest Award for Undergraduates
  
  
• Following the Trail His Grandfather Helped Blaze
  
  
• BioChem Grad Is Second Youngest to Ever Earn a UC Bachelor's Degree
  
  
• College of Allied Health Sciences Graduate Driven to Succeed
  
  
• UC Pharmacy Grads Who Pursue Residency Have High Rate of Success
  
  
• Lindner College of Business Senior Is a Stand Out on UC's Campus
  
  
• Nursing Student Not Easily Defeated on Way to Diploma
  

HONORARY DEGREES AND AWARDS

UC will bestow four honorary doctorates, its highest award, and one President's Award for Excellence during Spring Commencement. Recipients are:

• Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters: C. Francis Barrett, former chairman of the UC Board of Trustees and president and one of the founding members of the downtown Cincinnati law firm of Barrett & Weber
  
  
• Honorary Doctorate of Science: Victor Dzau, president of the Institute of Medicine and Chancellor Emeritus and James B. Duke Professor of Medicine at Duke University
  
  
• Honorary Doctorate of Science: Beverly Malone, chief executive officer of the National League for Nursing and former deputy assistant secretary for health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  
  
• Honorary Doctorate of Commercial Science: Kirk Perry, president of brand solutions at Google and a former Procter & Gamble executive
  
  
• President's Award for Excellence: Edwin Gosnell, a retired biology teacher from Towson High School in Baltimore whose service has been recognized by the National Association of Biology Teachers

MORE TO LEARN

Further information is available

on the Commencement website.

RELATED EVENTS

UC's

24th annual Tyehimba Cultural Graduation Celebration

will be held at 7 p.m. May 1 in Fifth Third Arena.

UC's Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. May 1 in Tangeman University Center's Great Hall.