UNR to award most-ever degrees through three Spring Commencement ceremonies

The University of Nevada, Reno’s 2015 Spring Commencement will confer 2,454 degrees and certificates. The commencement exercises will take place in three ceremonies Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16 and will be held on the University’s historic Quadrangle, located on the southern part of campus. Each ceremony focuses on particular colleges and, for the first time, grant both undergraduate and graduates degrees for each of those colleges.

Academic programs participating in the first undergraduate ceremony at 8:15 a.m., Friday, May 15, will be the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources, College of Business and the Division of Health Sciences. The second ceremony Friday at 4:50 p.m. includes the College of Engineering and the College of Science. The 8:15 a.m. ceremony Saturday, May 16, includes the academic programs of the Reynolds School of Journalism, College of Liberal Arts and College of Education.

Both morning ceremonies have the same start times: graduates report to their designated college line-up location by 7:45 a.m. and the ceremony procession begins at 8:15 a.m. Friday evening’s ceremony begins with the student line-up at 4:30 p.m. and the procession at 4:50 p.m. Students receiving dual degrees may participate in more than one ceremony.

The Herz Gold Medal for Outstanding Scholarship will be awarded to Steven DelaCruz, chemical engineering major, during Friday afternoon’s ceremony. Jennifer and Phil Satre will be honored with Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters recognizing their significant and long-time contributions to the University. A President’s Medal will be awarded to alumnus Joseph S. Bradley, honoring him for his substantial generosity, service and connection to the University for more than 30 years. The campus introduced the President’s Medal at the inauguration of President Joseph Crowley in 1979. And two Distinguished Nevadans will be honored, Paul A. Bible and Eddie Scott. The Distinguished Nevadan represents the most prestigious award conferred by the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education.

During the University’s Commencement ceremonies this year, 1,908 bachelor degrees, 476 advanced-degree certificates (master’s and doctoral degrees and education specialist certificates) and 70 University of Nevada School of Medicine degrees will be awarded. The University awarded 2,251 degrees last spring and has seen a 37 percent increase in degrees awarded since 2007 due to increased enrollment and improved graduation rates.

Free public parking is available in the Brian J. Whalen Parking Complex and the West Stadium Parking Complex, both accessible off Virginia Street. The Nevada Wolf Shop inside the Joe Crowley Student Union will be open 7 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., Friday, May 15 and 7 a.m. until 5 p.m., Saturday, May 16.

Several special programs on campus surround the University of Nevada, Reno’s 2015 Spring Commencement:
Cultural graduate celebrations honor the diversity of students. Organized through The Center for Student Cultural Diversity at the University, these celebrations are designed to recognize the cultures students have brought with them to the University and shared during their time on campus.

Honor the Best recognizes top students, faculty and staff. The award ceremony will be 3-5 p.m., Tuesday, May 12 in the Joe Crowley Student Union, Milt Glick Ballroom.

The Senior Scholars Banquet recognizes outstanding seniors and their faculty mentors at 6 p.m., Wednesday, May 13 at the Joe Crowley Student Union Ballroom C.

The Orvis School of Nursing Convocation, at 9 a.m., Thursday, May 14 in the Joe Crowley Student Union, Milt Glick Ballroom, is a pinning/hooding and awards ceremony for undergraduate, masters and doctorate of nursing practice nursing students.

The Class of 1965 returns to campus for their 50th reunion during the Golden Reunion Reception and Campus Tour at 11 a.m., Thursday, May 14 at Morrill Hall.
The School of Social Work Convocation is at 11:30 a.m., Thursday, May 14 in Nightingale Concert Hall, Church Fine Arts building.

The University of Nevada School of Medicine Academic Hooding Ceremony is at 1 p.m., Friday, May 15 at Lawlor Events Center. Contact Anne McMillin, 775-682-9254.

A live-stream of all three ceremonies will be available at www.unr.edu and will be mobile-friendly. Closed captioning on mobile devices for the hearing impaired will also be available and can be accessed through a QR code provided at the event.

University graduates and their families are encouraged to join the conversation online by using the hashtag #PackPride. Those interested can also check out a detailed infographic about the Class of 2015.

For additional information, including parking maps and directions, please visit www.unr.edu/commencement.

— Nicole Shearer is a Communications Officer for the University of Nevada, Reno. She can be reached at nshearer@unr.edu