The University of Vermont will celebrate its 206th commencement on Sunday, May 23. The ceremony begins at 9 a.m. on the University Green. Tickets are not required.
The student and faculty line up will begin at 7:30 a.m., and the processional will begin at 8:15 a.m.
Commencement will return this year to the traditional model of a single ceremony in which all of the graduates receive their diplomas. In light of a favorable weather forecast for Sunday, the ceremony will be held outdoors. Although the likelihood of precipitation is low according to the latest reports, Vermont weather in May means that showers are always a possibility; guests are encouraged to come prepared for rain or shine.
At Sunday's ceremony, President Daniel Mark Fogel will confer degrees on approximately 3,034 graduates, including 2,411 bachelor's, 380 master's, 105 doctoral, and 102 M.D. degree recipients, in addition to 29 post-baccalaureate certificates. Among expected degree recipients are students from 42 states and 69 international students from 20 countries. Approximately 1,250 graduates are from Vermont. The graduating class includes an expected 221 African, Latino/a, Asian and Native American (ALANA) and bi/multi-racial students.
United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki will deliver the address to graduates and receive an honorary doctor of laws degree at the ceremony. Secretary Shinseki was nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as the seventh secretary of Veterans Affairs on Jan. 21, 2009. A retired U.S. Army four-star general, Shinseki served as chief of staff of the United States Army from 1999 to 2003, when he retired from active duty. During his tenure, he initiated the Army Transformation Campaign to address both the emerging strategic challenges of the early 21st century and the need for cultural and technological change in the United States Army.
In addition to Shinseki, the university will confer honorary degrees upon three individuals who have made vital and important contributions to the state, the university, the nation, and the world over the course of their distinguished careers: Judith Buechner, Professor Susan Brody Hasazi and Raymond C. Pecor, Jr.
The following street closings are planned in conjunction with commencement. From Friday, May 21, at 7 p.m. through Sunday, May 23, at 8 p.m., University Place will be closed from Colchester Avenue to Main Street, and South Prospect Street will be closed from College Street to the University Health Center entrance. On Sunday, May 23 from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m., South Prospect Street will be closed form Colchester Avenue to Main Street, and College Street will be closed from South Prospect Street to South Williams Street.
Shuttle buses will run between the commencement ceremony, reception sites and parking areas. A parking map is available on the Commencement 2010 website. Because record-breaking attendance is anticipated, all guests are encouraged to carpool when possible and take shuttles from hotels when provided. Parking on residential streets is prohibited.
Approximately 5,000 indoor seats with closed-circuit viewing of the ceremony will be available in the following locations for those who prefer to watch from inside: Memorial Lounge, Waterman Building; Ira Allen Chapel; Billings Lecture Hall; and Patrick Gymnasium.
The ceremony will be webcast on the following website: http://media.vpt.org/live/uvm-graduation/.
More information about commencement weekend is available on the Commencement 2010 website.