Commencement exercises for 1,432 students at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire will be held during three ceremonies on May 21 in Zorn Arena.
Candidates from the College of Business will receive degrees during a 9 a.m. ceremony.
Candidates from the College of Arts and Sciences will receive degrees during a 1:30 p.m. ceremony.
Candidates from the College of Nursing and Health Sciences and College of Education and Human Sciences will receive degrees during a 5:30 p.m. ceremony.
A total of 1,298 students are candidates for bachelor's degrees, including 540 from the College of Arts and Sciences, 368 from the College of Business, 321 from the College of Education and Human Sciences, and 69 from the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
A total of 134 students are candidates for graduate degrees. In the College of Arts and Sciences, 10 Blugolds are candidates for a specialist in education degree and 20 students are candidates for a master's degree. Twenty-nine students are candidates for master's degrees from the College of Business and 46 students are candidates for master’s degrees from the College of Education and Human Sciences. Twenty-nine students are candidates for graduate degrees from the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, with 28 students earning their doctor of nursing practice degrees and one student earning a master’s degree.
At the 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. ceremonies, Madeline LeBouton of Horicon, a candidate for a bachelor of music education in music degree, will lead the singing of the national anthem. During the 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. ceremonies, Jonathan Viegut of Marshfield, a candidate for a bachelor of music education in music degree will lead the singing of the national anthem.
During the 5:30 p.m. ceremony, Kevin Fosado of Fond du Lac, a candidate for a bachelor of music education in choral teaching degree, will lead the "Alma Mater." At the 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. ceremonies, Kaitlyn Konrardy of Marshfield, a candidate for a bachelor of arts in music degree will lead the "Alma Mater."
Jordan Elizabeth Boswell, a candidate for a bachelor of business administration in business finance degree, will give the “Blugold Reflections” during the 9 a.m. ceremony. A native of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, her reflections piece is titled “Expect Nothing.”
Brett Haffner of Darien, Illinois, who is a candidate for a bachelor of arts in psychology degree, will give a “Blugolds Reflections” presentation titled “In Medias Res” during the 1:30 p.m. ceremony.
During the 5:30 p.m. ceremony, Ellie Rose Decker will give a “Blugold Reflections” piece titled “Together We Find Our Strength.” Decker, of Germantown, is a candidate for a bachelor of science in nursing degree.
Dr. Brady Foust, UW-Eau Claire professor emeritus of geography, will deliver the “Charge to the Class” during all three ceremonies.
Nine alumni and friends of UW-Eau Claire will be recognized during the commencement ceremonies as UW-Eau Claire Alumni Association award recipients.
Alumni and friends receiving awards are Dr. Brady Foust and Jeanne Foust, Honorary Alumnus Award; Dr. Russel Mikkelson, Dr. Jennifer Rogalsky and Laura Talley, President's Award; Mark Cosby, Timothy H. Murphy, Michael O’Meara and Michael Rindo, Lifetime Excellence Award. (Read more about the Alumni Association award recipients.)
Dr. CP Liu, who earned a master’s degree in biology from UW-Eau Claire in 1974, will receive an honorary doctorate of science during the 1:30 p.m. ceremony. Liu, who has founded six companies as he worked to find cures for chronic diseases such as cancer, is just the second Blugold to be awarded an honorary doctorate. (Read more about Liu.)
Ceremonies will be broadcast live on the university’s website as well as its Facebook and YouTube pages.
