IOWA CITY, IOWA (May 6, 2024) — Twenty students at the Univesity of Iowa will either deliver a speech to their classmates or perform the national anthem at one of the commencement events scheduled on campus in the coming weeks. More than 5,300 students will receive their degrees during in-person and livestreamed commencement ceremonies, beginning with the College of Pharmacy's Doctor of Pharmacy ceremony on May 9 and concluding with the College of Dentistry's ceremony on May 31. Other ceremonies will take place between May 9 and May 18.
More than 5,300 University of Iowa students will receive their degrees during in-person and livestreamed commencement ceremonies, beginning with the College of Pharmacy's Doctor of Pharmacy ceremony on May 9 and concluding with the College of Dentistry's ceremony on May 31. Other ceremonies will take place between May 9 and May 18.
Dates, times, and livestreaming details for each ceremony are listed below. To learn more, click HERE.
To learn more about the University of Iowa's spring 2024 graduates, click HERE.
Thursday, May 9
College of Pharmacy
Doctor of Pharmacy ceremony
10AM
Hancher Auditorium
Dean Donald Letendre will give remarks. Graduate and class president Savannah Anderson, of New Hampton, Iowa, will be the student speaker. Susan Vos, director of student affairs for the American Association of College of Pharmacy, will be the guest speaker. President Barbara Wilson will confer degrees.
College of Education
Undergraduate and Teacher Education Program ceremony
4PM
Hancher Auditorium
Dean Daniel L Clay and President Barbara Wilson will confer degrees, and Mark McDermott, associate dean for teacher education and student services, will recognize those who completed the Teacher Education Program. Matt Devlin, play-by-play announcer for the Toronto Raptors, will be the keynote speaker. Anne Estapa, College of Education associate professor of math education, will be the faculty speaker. McKenna Haag, a graduating elementary education major from North Liberty, Iowa, will be the student speaker.
Graduate College
Master's degree candidates
7PM
Carver-Hawkeye Arena
President Barbara Wilson and Dean Amanda Haertling Thein will deliver messages to students. Master of Public Affairs graduate Armando Bryson, of Anaheim, California, will give the student address.
Friday, May 10
College of Law
2PM
Hancher Auditorium
President Barbara Wilson will give remarks. Samantha McCort, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, will be the student speaker. US District Court Chief Judge CJ Williams, a College of Law adjunct professor, will be the alumni speaker.
Graduate College
Doctoral degree candidates
7PM
Carver-Hawkeye Arena
President Barbara Wilson and Dean Amanda Haertling Thein will deliver messages to students. The alumni speaker will be Tawny Tibbits, who earned a PhD in Geoscience from Iowa in 2016. Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate Mary Claire Wunderlich, of Mason City, Iowa, will give the student address.
Saturday, May 11
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS)
9AM
Carver-Hawkeye Arena
This CLAS ceremony will recognize graduates majoring in African American studies; American studies; ancient civilization; anthropology; art; art history; biochemistry; biochemistry and molecular biology; biology; biomedical studies; chemistry; cinema; classical languages; computer science; economics; English; English and creative writing; environmental policy and planning; environmental sciences; exercise science; gender, women's and sexuality studies; geography; geoscience; health and human physiology; health promotion; health studies; human physiology; informatics; science studies; screenwriting arts; social justice; speech and hearing science; sport and recreation management; sport studies; sustainability science; and therapeutic recreation.
Dean Sara Sanders and President Barbara Wilson will confer degrees. The student speaker will be Preksha Kedilaya, of Bettendorf, Iowa, who will receive a Bachelor of Science in biomedical sciences and a minor in general health and health-care equity. Samantha Martin, of Polk City, Iowa, will perform the National Anthem and receive a Bachelor of Music (performance-voice).
College of Nursing
9AM
Hancher Auditorium
Dean Julie Zerwic will address students. New BSN graduate Alyssa Nahnsen (above), of Munster, Indiana, and new RN-BSN graduate Rachel Trumm (below), of Cascade, Iowa, will be the student speakers. Executive Vice President and Provost Kevin Kregel will confer degrees.
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
1PM
Carver-Hawkeye Arena
This CLAS ceremony will recognize graduates majoring in actuarial science; applied physics; Asian languages and literature; astronomy; communication studies; criminology, law, and justice; dance; data science; enterprise leadership; ethics and public policy; French; German; global health studies; history; interdepartmental studies; international relations; international studies; Italian; journalism and mass communication; linguistics; mathematics; microbiology; music; neuroscience; philosophy; physics; political science; Portuguese; psychology; religious studies; Russian; social work; sociology; Spanish; statistics; theatre arts; and translation.
Dean Sara Sanders and President Barbara Wilson will confer degrees. The student speaker with be Hope Hjelmeland, of Humboldt, Iowa, who will receive Bachelor of Arts degrees in economics and public policy and ethics, as well as a minor in gender, women's, and sexuality studies. Brandon Burkhardt, of Coralville, Iowa, will perform the National Anthem and will receive a Bachelor of Arts in music (performance-voice) and a Bachelor of Arts in theatre arts (music theatre).
Roy J and Lucille A Carver College of Medicine
Associated medical sciences degree candidates
2PM
Hancher Auditorium
David Asprey, the Denis R Oliver Endowed Chair and professor in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies and associate dean for medical education and professional programs, will preside over the ceremony. The keynote speaker will be Bruno Policeni, the Kenneth L and Gloria D Krabbenhoft Chair and department executive officer in the Department of Radiology. MJ Jorgenson, Master of Clinical Nutrition graduate from Kansas City, Missouri, and Alexandra Hodal, a Bachelor of Science in nuclear medicine technology graduate, will be the student speakers. Marc Pizzimenti, associate professor of anatomy and cell biology and co-director of the Master on Clinical Anatomy Program, will deliver the charge to the graduates. Amanda Thein, associate provost for graduate and professional education and dean of the Graduate College, will confer degrees.
University College
3PM
Virtual ceremony
This ceremony will include University College graduates earning the Bachelor of Applied Studies and Bachelor of Liberal Studies degrees. President Barbara Wilson and Associate Provost and Dean of University College Tanya Uden-Holman will deliver messages to the students. Rob Gettemy, assistant professor of practice in the Tippie College of Business, will be the faculty speaker. Summer 2024 University College graduate April Richer, of Dover, New Hampshire, will be the student speaker.
Tippie College of Business
Undergraduate ceremony
5PM
Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Dustin Godsey, chief sales and marketing officer for the Milwaukee Bucks and Fiserv Forum, will give the alumnus address. Finance graduate McKenzie Turner, of Waukee, Iowa, will be the student speaker. J Martin Scholtz, UI's vice president for research, will confer degrees.
College of Public Health
6:30PM
Hancher Auditorium
Dean Edith Parker and UI Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and Dean of the University College Tanya Uden-Holman will confer degrees. Dean Parker will deliver a message to students. Graduates Nick Lembezeder (above), of Peosta, Iowa, and Arshi Sajid (below), of West Des Moines, Iowa, will be the student speakers.
Sunday, May 12
College of Engineering
Noon
Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Dean Ann McKenna will deliver a message to students. Luke Farmer, an electrical engineering graduate from Manchester, Iowa, will be the student speaker. President Barbara Wilson will confer degrees.
Friday, May 17
Carver College of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine and Master in Medical Education candidates
6:30PM
Hancher Auditorium
Christopher Cooper, senior associate dean for medical education, will give introductory remarks. Benjamin Linden, of Sioux City, Iowa, will be the student speaker, and Manish Suneja, clinical professor of internal medicine, will provide the commencement address. Rebecca Bushbaum, of Clermont, Iowa, and the 2024 recipients of the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, will administer the Physician's Oath. Denise Jamieson, vice president for medical affairs and Tyrone A Artz Dean of the Carver College of Medicine; Bradley Haws, associate vice president and chief executive officer of UI Hospitals and Clinics; Christina Taylor, Iowa Medical Society president; Kevin Kregel, UI executive vice president and provost; Jane Miller, professor and director of the Master in Medical Education Program; David Asprey, associate dean for medical education and professional programs; Amal Shibli-Rahhal, associate dean of student affairs; and James Choi, assistant dean of student affairs; will all participate in the ceremony.
Saturday, May 18
Tippie MBA Programs
10AM
Hancher Auditorium
Executive Vice President and Provost Kevin Kregel will confer degrees. Jeff Disterhoft, retired CEO of GreenState Credit Union, will be the speaker.
Friday, May 31
College of Dentistry
3PM
Hancher Auditorium
President Barbara Wilson will deliver the greeting. Dean Clark Stanford will deliver a welcome and message to the graduating class. Luke Hovey, of Bettendorf, Iowa, will be the student speaker. Associate Dean Sherry Timmons will present honors and awards. Faculty members Steven Means, Maria Marcela Hernandez Luna, Michael Santucci, and John Syrbu will present hoods to the candidates.
Preksha Kedilaya of Bettendorf, Iowa [Kedilaya will speak at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences commencement at 9AM, Saturday, May 11. Dean Sara Sanders and President Barbara Wilson will confer degrees. Samantha Martin, of Polk City, Iowa, will perform the national anthem and receive a Bachelor of Music (performance-voice).; "I was thrilled to learn I was chosen to be the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences commencement speaker for 2024 graduates. I am so grateful and honored to have been offered this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I look forward to speaking in front of the most motivated and passionate students I know. I am aware of the work ethic these students hold, which is why I want to remind them to harness that work ethic in the right way. Students should make decisions they can be proud of; thus create a life they can be proud of. I cannot wait to see the impactful and incredible things my peers go on to pursue," said Kedilaya., "After graduating from the University of Iowa this May, I will be continuing my education by pursuing Physician Assistant School! In June, I will be attending the UW-La Crosse-Mayo PA Program. I look forward to receiving my PA-S from UWL and completing my clinical rotations through the Mayo Clinic. This would not have been possible without the tremendous support I have received over the years from my A Cappella team (Iowa Agni), my coworkers at Oaknoll and the Women's Resource and Action Center, Dr. Adrian Elcock, my empathetic friends, and my dependable family. Lastly, I would like to thank the University of Iowa for giving me the most impactful four years of my life!" she added.]
Luke Hovey of Bettendorf, Iowa [Hovey will speak at the College of Dentistry commencement at 3 p.m., Friday, May 31. President Barbara Wilson will deliver the greeting. Dean Clark Stanford will deliver a welcome and message to the graduating class. Associate Dean Sherry Timmons will present honors and awards. Faculty members Steven Means, Maria Marcela Hernandez Luna, Michael Santucci, and John Syrbu will present hoods to the candidates.; , , ]
About the University of Iowa
As a top global university, Iowa is the ideal destination for learning, discovery, and innovation. We bring art and science together to create a truly unique interdisciplinary education. With over 200 areas of study to choose from, students are encouraged to mix and match majors, minors, and certificates to earn a degree that reflects their unique interests.
From inside our world-class medical center to the most prestigious creative-writing program in the US, students have access to quality academic support and are equipped with the tools they need to stand out in a competitive workforce. Our 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio allows students to work directly with experts in their field while earning valuable, practical skills.
Our campus seamlessly blends into the heart of downtown Iowa City, making it easy to access academic resources and belong to a larger, welcoming community. With over 500 student organizations, clubs, and communities on campus, and countless in-town events scheduled throughout the year, Iowa makes it easy to build a network of friendships and connections that last a lifetime.
To learn more about the University of Iowa, click HERE.
