Throughout the coming weeks, the University of Minnesota will host numerous commencement ceremonies, recognizing thousands of students across its five campuses for their academic achievements.
Notable speakers participating in this year’s ceremonies include:
Dr. Eric Kaler, president of the University of Minnesota, will address graduates of the University of Minnesota Morris at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 18. President Kaler is the University’s 16th president. In this role, he has focused on academic excellence, affordability, diversity and a welcoming campus climate, a world-class research enterprise, and a deep commitment to public engagement and outreach. Kaler will finish his service as president on June 30.
Mark Dayton, former governor of Minnesota, will address graduates of the Medical School, Twin Cities campus, at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 3. Dayton is a long-time public official, spending nearly four decades serving Minnesota at various levels of government. Dayton was elected to several positions over the course of his career, including state auditor, U.S. Senator and two terms as the state's 40th governor between 2011 and his retirement in 2019.
Laysha Ward, executive vice president and chief external engagement officer at Target, will address graduates of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 18. Ward is instrumental in the company's efforts to connect with communities and give back through philanthropy and grants. Ward has served at the request of Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama on initiatives to advance community engagement and volunteerism.
Associate Justice Natalie E. Hudson, Minnesota Supreme Court, will address graduates of the Law School at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 18. Justice Hudson was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2015, having previously served for 14 years on the bench of the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
Jim Weber, CEO of Brooks Running Company, will address graduates of the Carlson School of Management at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m on Monday, May 20. Weber caught the attention of Warren Buffett with his aggressive turnaround of the Seattle-based company, which was achieved by focusing the team solely on delivering personally inspiring products and experiences that keep people running.
Wokie Daboh, director of diversity and inclusion at ESPN, will address graduates of the College of Continuing & Professional Studies at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 11. Daboh was named one of Mpls/St.Paul Business Journal's “40 Under 40” in 2018 for her exceptional work developing a local strategy for diversity and inclusion at Medtronic.
Karen Hanson, executive vice president and provost of the University of Minnesota, will speak at the Arts, Sciences, and Engineering graduate student commencement of the Twin Cities campus, at noon on Friday, May 3. Hanson is the University's chief academic officer. A Minnesota native who began her career as an undergraduate in philosophy and mathematics on the University’s Twin Cities campus, she is also a distinguished scholar and teacher of philosophy, with research interests in the philosophy of mind, ethics and aesthetics, and American philosophy.
The complete commencement schedule, including speakers for the University’s colleges and schools, is as follows (ordered by date):
Wednesday, May 1
Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence (MCAE) at Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2128 S. 4th St., Minneapolis, at 6 p.m. UMN Twin Cities senior Kania Johnson — the first person in her family to graduate from a four-year institution — will speak after short opening remarks by MCAE Interim Director Shezwae Fleming.
Thursday, May 2
Honors Recognition Ceremony, University Honors Program at Northrop, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 7 p.m. Judge Carolina Lamas will give an address at the ceremony.
Friday, May 3
Arts, Sciences, and Engineering Graduate Student Commencement (Twin Cities campus) at 3M Arena at Mariucci, 1901 Fourth St. S.E., Minneapolis, at noon. Karen Hanson, executive vice president and provost of the University of Minnesota, will address graduates.
Medical School (Twin Cities campus) at Northrop, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 2 p.m. Mark Dayton, former governor of Minnesota, will address graduates.
College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Graduate Ceremony at North Star Ballroom, 2017 Buford Ave., St. Paul, at 2:30 p.m. Beth Ford, CEO of Land O'Lakes, Inc., will address graduates.
Saturday, May 4
University of Minnesota Crookston at Lysaker Gymnasium, Sports Center, 2900 University Avenue, Crookston, at 1:30 p.m. Lloyd Mayes, Class of 1970, will address graduates.
Sunday, May 5
College of Veterinary Medicine at Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2128 S. 4th St., Minneapolis, at 10 a.m. Dr. Andrew Maccabe, CEO of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, will address graduates.
Tuesday, May 7
International Student and Scholar Services at Great Hall at Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis, at 4 p.m. Audra Gerlach Ferrall, director of International Alumni and Travel, University of Minnesota Alumni Association; Meredith McQuaid, associate vice president and dean of international programs; and UMN Twin Cities senior Azhar Akesh will address graduates.
Wednesday, May 8
College of Education and Human Development at 3M Arena at Mariucci, 1901 Fourth St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Michael Rodriguez, professor of educational psychology, will address the graduate ceremony in the morning; and Jill Trites, senior teaching specialist in Family Social Science, will address the undergraduate ceremony in the afternoon.
Lavender Celebration at The Whole Music Club at Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis, at 6:30 p.m. UMN Twin Cities student Jaemi Hagen will give an address at the ceremony.
Friday, May 10
School of Dentistry at Northrop, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 10 a.m. Paul Krebsbach, D.D.S., Ph.D, professor and dean of the UCLA School of Dentistry, will address graduates.
College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Undergraduate Ceremony at 3M Arena at Mariucci, 1901 Fourth St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 2 p.m. Jeffrey Stamp, founder and chief storyteller at Bold Thinking, LLC, will address graduates.
College of Science and Engineering Undergraduate Ceremony (Twin Cities campus) at 3M Arena at Mariucci, 1901 Fourth St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 6:45 p.m. Dawn M. Tilbury, assistant director of engineering at the National Science Foundation, will address graduates.
Saturday, May 11
University of Minnesota Duluth at AMSOIL Arena at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center; 350 Harbor Dr., Duluth, at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.* Anne Tsui, distinguished adjunct professor at the University of Notre Dame and distinguished visiting professor at Peking University and Fudan University, China, will address graduates.
College of Continuing and Professional Studies at Northrop, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 10 a.m. Wokie Daboh, director of diversity and inclusion at ESPN, will address graduates.
College of Pharmacy at Northrop, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 2 p.m. Critical Care Clinical Pharmacist Judith Jacobi will address graduates.
Monday, May 13
College of Biological Sciences and Medical School Basic Sciences (Twin Cities campus) Graduate Programs Ceremony at McNamara Alumni Center, 200 S.E. Oak St., Minneapolis, at 5 p.m. Valery Forbes, Ph.D., dean of the College of Biological Sciences and Dr. Jakub Tolar, Ph.D., dean of the Medical School and vice president for Clinical Affairs, will address graduates.
Wednesday, May 15
College of Design at Northrop, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 4 p.m. Tamara Eagle Bull, FAIA, will address graduates.
Friday, May 17
School of Nursing at Northrop, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 2 p.m. Dr. Sam Myers, director of Harvard University’s Planetary Health Alliance, will address graduates.
Saturday, May 18
Law School at Northrop, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 10 a.m. Associate Justice Natalie E. Hudson, Minnesota Supreme Court, will address graduates.
University of Minnesota Rochester at Mayo Civic Center Ballroom, 30 Civic Center Drive S.E., Rochester, at 11 a.m. Xavier Prat-Resina, Ph.D., associate professor in the Center for Learning Innovation, will address graduates.
University of Minnesota Morris at Campus Mall, 600 East Fourth St., Morris, at 1:30 p.m. Dr. Eric Kaler, president of the University of Minnesota, will address graduates.
Humphrey School of Public Affairs at Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2128 S. 4th St., Minneapolis, at 3 p.m. Laysha Ward, executive vice president and chief external engagement officer at Target, will address graduates.
College of Biological Sciences Undergraduate Ceremony at 3M Arena at Mariucci, 1901 Fourth St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 5 p.m. George Weiblen, a professor in the College of Biological Sciences and science director and curator of plants at the Bell Museum, will address graduates.
Sunday, May 19
College of Liberal Arts (Twin Cities campus) at 3M Arena at Mariucci, 1901 Fourth St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. **Professor Julie Schumacher, Creative Writing and English faculty member in the College of Liberal Arts and winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor, will address graduates.
Monday, May 20
Carlson School of Management at 3M Arena at Mariucci, 1901 Fourth St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Jim Weber, CEO of Brooks Running Company, will address both the graduate ceremony in the morning and the undergraduate ceremony in the afternoon.
School of Public Health at Northrop, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 5 p.m. Laura Magaña, president and chief executive officer, Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health, will address graduates.
* College of Liberal Arts, Duluth campus, and the Swenson College of Science and Engineering ceremonies are first, followed by College of Education and Human Service Professions, Labovitz School of Business and Economics and the School of Fine Arts.
** Previously announced speaker and CLA alumnus Jim Burke (‘82) withdrew due to family health matters.
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