About 5,100 University of Iowa students will mark educational milestones as they receive their degrees at spring 2015 commencement ceremonies.
Ceremonies begin Thursday, May 14, with the College of Pharmacy commencement and end Friday, June 5, with the College of Dentistry. All other ceremonies will be held May 15-16.
Use the hashtag #UIGrad15 to join the celebration on social media.
Two ceremonies will be held for College of Liberal Arts and Sciences undergraduates, accommodating more family members and guests. All commencement ceremonies will be streamed live on the Web via the Iowa Now website.
See below for dates, times, locations, and additional info on each ceremony, including live streaming video details. Find additional commencement information on the Office of the Registrar website.
Thursday, May 14
College of Pharmacy
10 a.m. Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, Coralville
Participating university officials include UI President Sally Mason. Stephen Mullenix, ’74 B.S.Ph. and senior vice president, National Council for Prescription Drug Programs, will be the guest speaker. Madelyn Yassen, graduating class president, will be the student speaker. Graduates should arrive no later than 9:15 a.m.
Live video stream location: http://now.uiowa.edu/2015/05/video-ui-college-pharmacy-commencement-2015
Friday, May 15
School of Management
10 a.m. Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, Coralville
Perry Glassgow, B.B.A. ’86 and vice president and controller of Harley Davidson, will be the speaker. Participating university officials include P. Barry Butler, executive vice president and provost. Graduates should arrive no later than 9:15 a.m.
Live video stream location: http://now.uiowa.edu/2015/05/video-ui-tippie-school-management-mba-commencement-2015
College of Law
12 p.m. Iowa Memorial Union Main Lounge
Participating university officials include UI President Sally Mason. Sir Geoffrey Palmer, former prime minister of New Zealand and UI associate professor of law, will be the guest speaker. Graduates should arrive no later than 11:15 a.m.
Live video stream location: http://now.uiowa.edu/2015/05/video-ui-college-law-commencement-2015
Teacher Education Convocation
5 p.m. Iowa Memorial Union Main Lounge
102 CLAS degree-seeking candidates who have completed the requirements for teacher licensure will be recognized. Susan Lagos Lavenz, UI College of Education associate dean, will be the faculty speaker. Lindsey Winders of Urbandale, Iowa, who is receiving her licensure in elementary education, is the student speaker. The keynote speaker is alumna Linda Baker, who received a Bachelor of Arts in 1968 and is a retired teacher living in Golden, Colorado. Baker is a College of Education benefactor who has made iPads possible for newly admitted undergraduate and master's teacher education students.
Live stream video location: http://now.uiowa.edu/2015/05/ui-video-teacher-education-convocation-2015
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 Debra Schwinn, dean of the Carver College of Medicine. Darren Hoffmann, a lecturer in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, has been chosen as guest speaker by the graduating class.
Live video stream location: http://now.uiowa.edu/2015/05/video-ui-carver-college-medicine-commencement-2015
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 Sally Mason, who will be the speaker. Doors open at 6 p.m. and graduates should arrive no later than 6:15.
Live video stream location: http://now.uiowa.edu/2015/05/video-ui-graduate-college-commencement-2015
Saturday, May 16
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
9 a.m. Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Ceremony 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 UI President Sally Mason, who will be the speaker. Emma Van Dyke, an English major from Bainbridge Island, Washington, will be the student speaker. Allison Gerstenberger, a music major from Hazleton, Iowa, will be the student singer. Doors open at 8 a.m. and graduates should arrive no later than 8:15 a.m.
Live video stream: http://now.uiowa.edu/2015/05/video-ui-college-liberal-arts-and-sciences—am-commencement-2015
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
1 p.m., Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Ceremony for graduates majoring in actuarial science; applied physics; Asian languages and literature; astronomy; Bachelor of Applied Studies program; 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 UI President Sally Mason, who will be the speaker. Liam Hovey, a chemistry, physics, and biochemistry major from Stillwater, Minnesota, will be the student speaker. Allison Gerstenberger, a music major from Hazleton, Iowa, will be the student singer. Doors open at 12 p.m. and graduates should arrive no later than 12:15 p.m.
Live video stream: http://now.uiowa.edu/2015/05/video-college-liberal-arts-and-sciences—pm-commencement-2015
College of Engineering
10 a.m. Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, Coralville
Participating university officials include Dan Reed, vice president for research and economic development. Sastry Munukutla will be the guest speaker and inducted into the Distinguished Engineering Alumni Academy, which recognizes alumni who have made outstanding contributions to the profession or to society. V. C. Patel will also be inducted into Legacy of Iowa Engineering, which honors those who have played key roles in shaping the college. Graduates should arrive no later than 9 a.m.
Live video stream: http://now.uiowa.edu/2015/05/video-college-engineering-commencement-2015
College of Nursing
10 a.m. Iowa Memorial Union Main Lounge
Participating university officials include Tom Rocklin, vice president for student life. Annelise C. Jacobson will be the student speaker. University of Iowa Association of Nursing Students president-elect Sawyer Henderson will be the grand marshal of the ceremony. Graduates should arrive no later than 9:15 a.m.
Live video stream: http://now.uiowa.edu/2015/05/video-college-nursing-commencement-2015
Tippie College of Business
5 p.m. Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Participating university officials include UI President Sally Mason. Tom Veale, B.B.A. ’80 and founder of Tristar Insurance Group, will be the guest speaker. Graduates should arrive no later than 4:15 p.m.
Live video stream: http://now.uiowa.edu/2015/05/video-tippie-college-business-commencement-2015
Friday, June 5
College of Dentistry
3 p.m. Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, Coralville
Participating university officials include UI President Sally Mason.
Live video stream location: http://now.uiowa.edu/2015/05/video-ui-college-dentistry-commencement-2015
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 also will 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 #UIGrad15 with UI-graduation-related posts. 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 8, at 4:30 p.m. in the UI Macbride Hall Auditorium with the doors opening at 4 p.m. Twenty-six students will receive certification for their program of study. Live video stream location is at http://now.uiowa.edu/2015/05/video-ui-reach-convocation-2015
- The Center for Student Involvement and Leadership, the Chief Diversity Office, and the LGBT Staff and Faculty Association host the Rainbow Graduation Celebration on May 12 at 6 p.m. at the Old Capitol. Contact jefri-palermo@uiowa.edu for more info or to RSVP.
- The Center for Diversity and Enrichment hosts a Graduation Reception and awards presentation on May 14 at 3 p.m. in the Iowa Memorial Union Main Lounge. The event is open to the public. Contact cayla-wencl@uiowa.edu for more information.
- The College of Education hosts a Teacher Education Convocation for invited guests May 15, recognizing students who completed teacher education certification. Susan Lagos Lavenz will be the faculty speaker, Linda Baker will provide the keynote, and Lindsey Winders will be the student speaker.
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 beverage will be permitted in this room. This room is equipped with large television screens and commencement ceremonies can be watched 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. The ceremony can be viewed from here or on large screens that can be found 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.