University of Minnesota commencement ceremonies begin systemwide this week

In the coming weeks, the University of Minnesota System will host numerous commencement ceremonies to recognize thousands of students across its five campuses for their academic achievements and congratulate them as they take the next step toward productive lives and careers. 

Notably, several celebrations will be welcoming alumni who were unable to attend in-person ceremonies in recent years due to COVID-19 to join this year’s graduates and experience the celebratory walk across the stage that they earned as U of M grads. Those campuses and Twin Cities colleges include:

• College of Liberal Arts — Graduates from summer 2019 through fall 2022
• College of Science and Engineering — Graduates from summer 2019 through fall 2022
• College of Design — Graduates from the class of 2020 and 2021
• College of Education and Human Development  — Graduates from the class of 2020 and 2021
• College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences - Graduates from fall 2019 through summer 2021 
• Humphrey School of Public Affairs – Graduates from fall 2020 through summer 2022
• University of Minnesota Duluth - Graduates from the class of 2020 and 2021
• University of Minnesota Rochester - Graduates from the class of 2022

The complete commencement schedule is as follows (ordered by date):

Friday, April 29

• College of Liberal Arts and College of Science and Engineering (graduate students) at 3M Arena at Mariucci, 1901 Fourth St. S.E., Minneapolis, at noon. Professor Thomas Fisher, director of the Minnesota Design Center and MSMD; Dayton Hudson, chair in Urban Design, will address graduates.

Friday, May 6

• College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (undergraduate students) at 3M Arena at Mariucci, 1901 Fourth St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 2 p.m. Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist Heidi Roop will address graduates.
   
• Medical School (MD students) at Northrop, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 2 p.m. Andy Slavitt, MBA, Former Senior Advisor to the Biden Administration on COVID response will address graduates. 

Saturday, May 7

• 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. Two student speakers will address graduates.
   
• College of Continuing and Professional Studies at Northrop, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 10 a.m. Tasha Van Zandt, cinematographer, will address graduates.
   
• University of Minnesota Crookston at Lysaker Gymnasium, Sports Center, 2900 University Avenue, Crookston, at 10 a.m. Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, will address graduates.
   
• College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (graduate students) at Ted Mann Concert Hall; 2128 S Fourth St., Minneapolis, at 1 p.m. Onnie Byers, Class of 1987, chair of the Conservation Planning Specialist Group, will address graduates.

Wednesday, May 11

• College of Design at Northrop, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 3 p.m. Ambreen Tariq, the author of Fatima’s Great Outdoors and founder of @BrownPeopleCamping, will address graduates.

Thursday, May 12

• College of Science and Engineering at 3M Arena at Mariucci, 1901 Fourth St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 1 p.m.

Friday, May 13

• College of Education and Human Development (undergraduate students) at 3M Arena at Mariucci, 1901 Fourth St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 10 a.m. Student speaker will address graduates.
   
• School of Dentistry at Northrop, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 10 a.m. Amber Cziok, DDS, will address graduates.
   
• School of Nursing at Northrop, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 2 p.m. Jeannine Rivet, former executive vice president of UnitedHealth Group from 2001 to 2018; chief executive officer of UnitedHealthcare from 1998 to 2001; chief executive officer of Ingenix from 2001 to 2003; chief executive officer of Optum from December 2003 to 2005, will address graduates.
   
• College of Education and Human Development (graduate students) at 3M Arena at Mariucci, 1901 Fourth St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 4 p.m. 

Saturday, May 14

• Law School at Northrop, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 10 a.m. Hon. John R. Tunheim, chief judge of U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, will address graduates.
   
• College of Veterinary Medicine at Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2128 S. Fourth St., Minneapolis, at 10 a.m. Dr. Joni Scheftel, State Public Health Veterinarian, Minnesota Department of Health, will address graduates. 
   
• University of Minnesota Rochester at Mayo Civic Center Ballroom, 30 Civic Center Drive S.E., Rochester, at 11 a.m. 
   
• College of Liberal Arts (alumni grads from summer or fall 2019, 2020 and spring 2021) at 3M Arena at Mariucci, 1901 Fourth St. S.E., Minneapolis, at Noon. Kareem Rahma, Class of 2008, co-founder of SomeFriends, Nameless Network, and recipient of Hubbard’s Above the Fold award in 2018, will address graduates.  
   
• University of Minnesota Morris at Campus Mall, 600 East Fourth St., Morris, at 1 p.m. Rickey Hall, University of Washington vice president of Minority Affairs and University Diversity Officer, former director of University of Minnesota Morris Multi-Ethnic Student Program, will address graduates.
   
• College of Pharmacy at Northrop, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 2 p.m. Lucinda Maine, Ph.D., RPh, executive vice president and chief executive officer of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, will address graduates.
   
• Humphrey School of Public Affairs at Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2128 S. Fourth St., Minneapolis, at 4 p.m. Bonnie Jenkins, United States Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, will address graduates.
   
• College of Biological Sciences (undergraduate students) at 3M Arena at Mariucci, 1901 Fourth St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 5 p.m. Dr. Mary Kemen, Class of 1978, will address graduates. 

Sunday, May 15

• College of Liberal Arts (undergraduate students) at 3M Arena at Mariucci, 1901 Fourth St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Kareem Rahma, Class of 2008, co-founder of SomeFriends, Nameless Network, and recipient of Hubbard’s Above the Fold award in 2018, will address graduates.  

Monday, May 16

• Carlson School of Management (graduate students) at 3M Arena at Mariucci, 1901 Fourth St. S.E. Minneapolis, at 9 a.m. PJ Fleck, head Gopher football coach, will address both graduate and undergraduate ceremonies.
   
• Carlson School of Management (undergraduate students) at 3M Arena at Mariucci, 1901 Fourth St. S.E. Minneapolis, at 1 p.m. PJ Fleck, head Gopher football coach, will address both graduate and undergraduate ceremonies.
   
• School of Public Health at Northrop, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, at 5 p.m. Dr. Nathan T. Chomilo, MD, medical director for the State of Minnesota’s Medicaid and MinnesotaCare programs, will address graduates. 

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About the University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota System, with campuses in Crookston, Duluth, Morris, Rochester, and the Twin Cities, is driven by a singular vision of excellence. We are proud of our land-grant mission of world-class education, groundbreaking research, and community-engaged outreach, and we are unified in our drive to serve Minnesota. Visit system.umn.edu.