This year, about 4,930 University of Iowa students will receive their degrees at spring 2016 commencement ceremonies.
The College of Pharmacy will lead, holding its commencement May 12, and the College of Dentistry will be the last to graduate students, on June 3. All other ceremonies will be held between May 13 and 14.
#UIGrad16
Use the hashtag to join the celebration on social media.
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) will hold two undergraduate commencement ceremonies, in order to accommodate more guests. All commencement ceremonies will be streamed live on the Iowa Now website.
Read on to learn dates, times, locations, and additional info for each ceremony, including live-streaming video details. You can find additional commencement information on the Office of the Registrar website.
Thursday, May 12
College of Pharmacy
10 a.m. Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, Coralville
President Bruce Harreld will participate in this event; Jack Evans, president of the Hall-Perrine Foundation, will be the guest speaker. Grant Houselog, president of the graduating class, will be the student speaker. Graduates should arrive no later than 9:15 a.m.
Friday, May 13
Iowa MBA Commencement
10 a.m. Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, Coralville
Frederick J. Crawford (MBA ’87), executive vice president and chief financial officer at Aflac Incorporated, will speak. Participating university officials include P. Barry Butler, executive vice president and provost, and Sarah Gardial, dean of the Henry B. Tippie College of Business. Graduates should arrive no later than 9:15 a.m.
College of Law
12 p.m. Iowa Memorial Union Main Lounge
UI President Bruce Harreld and Gail Agrawal, dean of the College of Law, will participate. Thad Collins, chief judge of the U.S. bankruptcy court for the Northern District of Iowa (J.D. ’90), will speak. Graduates should arrive no later than 11:15 a.m.
Teacher Education Convocation
5 p.m. Iowa Memorial Union Main Lounge
One hundred and thirteen CLAS degree-seeking candidates who have completed the requirements for teacher licensure will be recognized. Mark McDermott clinical associate professor in science education, will be the faculty speaker; Dean Nicholas Colangelo will provide the keynote; and Meredith Olson will be the student speaker.
Carver College of Medicine
6:30 p.m. Marriott Hotel and Conference Center
Participating university officials include P. Barry Butler, executive vice president and provost, and Jean Robillard, UI vice president for medical affairs and dean of the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine. Christopher Cooper, senior associate dean for medical education, has been chosen as guest speaker by the graduating class.
Graduate College
7 p.m. Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Participating university officials include John Keller, associate provost for graduate and professional education and Graduate College dean, and UI President Bruce Harreld. Best-selling author Bill Bryson will receive an honorary degree and be the speaker. Doors open at 6 p.m. and graduates should arrive no later than 6:15 p.m.
Saturday, May 14
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
9 a.m. Carver-Hawkeye Arena
This ceremony is for graduates majoring in actuarial science; applied physics; Asian languages and literature; astronomy; the Bachelor of Applied Studies program; the Bachelor of Liberal Studies program; communication studies; comparative literature; dance; enterprise leadership; ethics and public policy; French; German; history; interdepartmental studies; international relations; international studies; Italian; journalism and mass communication; linguistics; mathematics; microbiology; music; philosophy; physics; political science; Portuguese; psychology; religious studies; Russian; social work; sociology; Spanish; statistics; and theatre arts.
Participating university officials include Chaden Djalali, UI Alumni Association Dean’s Chair in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, and UI President Bruce Harreld, who will confer degrees. Graduate Carter Bell, a political science major from Waukee, Iowa, will be the student speaker. Doors open at 8 a.m.; graduates should arrive no later than 8:15 a.m.
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
1 p.m., Carver-Hawkeye Arena
This ceremony is for graduates majoring in African American studies; American studies; ancient civilization; anthropology; art; art history; athletic training; biochemistry; biology; biomedical sciences; chemistry; cinema; classical languages; computer science; economics; elementary education; English; environmental policy and planning; environmental sciences; gender, women’s, and sexuality studies; geography; geoscience; health and human physiology; human physiology; informatics; integrative physiology; leisure studies; science education; speech and hearing science; sport and recreation management; sport studies; and therapeutic recreation.
Participating university officials include Chaden Djalali, UI Alumni Association Dean’s Chair in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, and P. Barry Butler, executive vice president and provost, who will confer degrees. Graduate Gabrielle Bui, a biochemistry major from Iowa City, Iowa, will be the student speaker. Doors open at 12 p.m.; graduates should arrive no later than 12:15 p.m.
College of Engineering
10 a.m. Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, Coralville
P. Barry Butler, professor of mechanical and industrial engineering and executive vice president and provost, will confer degrees. Scott C. Hagen (BSE ’93), holder of the John P. Laborde Endowed Chair for Louisiana Sea Grant Research and Technology Transfer at Louisiana State University, will be the guest speaker. Hagen will also be inducted into the Distinguished Engineering Alumni Academy, which recognizes alumni who have made outstanding contributions to the profession or to society. Graduates should arrive no later than 9 a.m.
College of Nursing
10 a.m. Iowa Memorial Union Main Lounge
Participating university officials include Tom Rocklin, vice president for student life. Audrey Binder and Jesse Sorensen will be the student speakers. Graduates should arrive no later than 9:15 a.m.
Tippie College of Business
5 p.m. Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Participating university officials include Sarah Gardial, dean of the Henry B. Tippie College of Business. Maureen Sammon (BBA ’85), president and CEO of HomeServices Mortgage, will be the speaker. Graduate Anthony Lehnertz, from North Liberty, Iowa, will be the student speaker. Graduates should arrive no later than 4:15 p.m.
Friday, June 3
College of Dentistry
3 p.m. Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, Coralville
Dan Reed, vice president for research and economic development, will confer degrees. Graduates Jessica M. Gradoville and Amy J. Scallon will be the student speakers.
Streaming, broadcast, and social media
See ceremony details above for live video-stream links. Streaming pages will go live prior to ceremonies, and archival videos will replace live streams on these pages shortly after the ceremonies conclude.
Graduate College, College of Law, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Tippie College of Business ceremonies will also be broadcast live on UITV (Mediacom cable channel 17 in the Iowa City area).
Social media users can join the celebration online by using the hashtag #UIGrad16 with UI-graduation-related posts. The best posts will be shared via UI social media channels and on the Iowa Now website.
Related events
Other events also pay tribute to this year’s graduating students (most are by invitation—contact organizers for more info):
- UI REACH will celebrate with a convocation for students Friday, May 6, at 4:30 p.m. in the UI Macbride Hall Auditorium with the doors opening at 4 p.m. Live video stream
- The Center for Student Involvement and Leadership, the Chief Diversity Office, and the LGBT Staff and Faculty Association will host the Rainbow Graduation Celebration on May 10 at 6 p.m. in the Senate Chamber at the Old Capitol Museum. Guests, please RSVP. For more information, please contact meagan-schorr@uiowa.edu or roy-salcedo@uiowa.edu.
- The Center for Diversity and Enrichment hosts a Graduation Reception and awards presentation on May 12 at 3 p.m. in the Iowa Memorial Union Main Lounge. The event is open to the public. Contact kate-miller@uiowa.edu for more information.
Information for guests with disabilities or limited mobility
Guests with physical disabilities who have a Disabilities Parking Permit (plate, placard, or sticker) will be permitted to park in Lot 46, adjacent to Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Public Safety officers will be restricting entrance to this lot to only those guests with these state-issued permits. From Lot 46, guests should enter the west doors.
Seating for guests is accessible from the upper concourse level, which is the ground level you will enter on. Guests with disabilities or limited mobility can find seating in the Feller Club Room for themselves and up to two companions. No food or beverages will be permitted in this room. The space is equipped with large television screens, and guests can watch commencement ceremonies from here.
Guests with disabilities are also welcome to view the ceremony from the upper concourse level. Wheelchair and scooter spaces can be found in sections K–N on the upper concourse level. Visitors can watch the ceremony from here or on large screens also located in these sections. Guests should provide their own wheelchair if needed. A sign language interpreter will be on stage to interpret the ceremony.
Degree candidates with physical disabilities who plan to participate in the ceremony should report to Graduation Analysis at 30 Calvin Hall or contact at 319-335-0228 or registrar-degree-applications@uiowa.edu to make necessary arrangements.