The University of Vermont will celebrate its 220th commencement on Thursday, May 20, Friday, May 21 and Sunday, May 23. The Thursday and Friday ceremonies will take place at Virtue Field on the university’s athletic campus beginning at 8 a.m. on both days. The Sunday ceremony, for UVM’s Larner College of Medicine, will be held at 3 p.m. in Patrick Gymnasium. All of the ceremonies will be held in-person following strict COVID-19 safety protocols and will be webcast for those who cannot attend.

“We are determined to maintain the spirit of joy and optimism that is the hallmark of UVM’s commencement ceremony, but to do so in a safe manner,” said President Suresh Garimella. “Our emphasis will be on celebrating our students. They have been through a trying 14 months and met the challenge with flying colors. We are very proud of each and every one of them and salute their accomplishment.”

President Garimella will confer degrees on an estimated 3,347 graduates, including 2,685 bachelors, 435 masters, 117 doctoral and 110 medical degree recipients. Among expected degree recipients are students from 41 states and 157 international students from 31 foreign countries. Approximately 1,057 graduates are from Vermont. The graduating class includes an expected 430 students of color.

If the past is a guide, class of 2021 graduates will find success. For students who graduated in 2017, 2018 and 2019, the most recent period data is available, an average 93% were employed or continuing their education within six months of graduating; 95% reported they were satisfied with their position; 92% reported their position is related to their career goal; and 88% indicated their position is related to their field. An average 43% of employed graduates during that time period stayed in Vermont after graduating.

COVID Protocols

To meet the state’s COVID-19 guidelines that limit the size of gatherings, there will be no university-wide commencement. Instead, each college and school will hold its own ceremony. To accommodate its large size, the College of Arts and Sciences will hold three separate ceremonies.

To highlight the exceptional accomplishments of our students, their names will be announced as they cross the dais to be recognized and their picture along with their degree and major will appear on a large screen. The college’s dean and UVM president Suresh Garimella will make brief remarks. To promote safety, each of those ceremonies has been streamlined to focus on student recognition and will take about one hour.

To participate, students need to be tested and have a negative result two days before the day of their ceremony. Guests they are inviting must submit a form attesting they have been fully vaccinated to receive a validated ticket. No one will be admitted to the ceremony without a validated ticket. Face coverings and social distancing will be enforced.

Webcast Options

All the Thursday and Friday commencement ceremonies will be webcast. Watch the ceremonies. The recorded ceremonies will be available on the site through the end of June. The Larner College of Medicine’s ceremony will be webcast on YouTube.

Commencement exercises will be held outdoors rain or shine. In the event of severe weather, the ceremonies impacted will move to a virtual format and will be webcast. 

Traffic Impacts

While no streets will be closed during the two days of UVM commencement activities, there will be increased traffic on Spear Street and Main Street, especially around the jug handle, and delays are expected immediately before and after each ceremony. The area around Gutterson Parking Garage will be staffed by UVM Police Services and the university’s traffic control personnel. Signage will alert drivers of modifications to the regular flow of traffic during the commencement ceremonies. 

Schedule

The schedule for the college and school commencement ceremonies follows.

Thursday, May 20, Virtue Field

  • 8:00-9:00 a.m.: Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
  • 10:00-11:00 a.m.: Grossman School of Business
  • 12:00-1:00 p.m.: College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences
  • 2:00-3:00 p.m.: College of Education and Social Services
  • 5:30-6:30 p.m.: Graduate College

Friday, May 21, Virtue Field

  • 8:00-9:00 a.m.: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
  • 10:30-11:30 a.m.: College of Nursing and Health Sciences
  • 1:00-2:00 p.m.: College of Arts and Sciences (students with last names A – G)
  • 3:30-4:30 p.m.: College of Arts and Sciences (students with last names H – N)
  • 6:00-7:00 p.m.: College of Arts and Sciences (students with last names O – Z)

Sunday, May 23, Patrick Gymnasium

  • 3 p.m.: Larner College of Medicine