UA Plans Three Commencement Ceremonies, Candlelight Remembrance for Aug. 5-6

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama will hold three commencement ceremonies Aug. 5 and 6 to award degrees to more than 4,000 graduates. The ceremonies will include students who were scheduled to participate in both May and August commencement exercises.

UA postponed May commencement ceremonies, originally scheduled for May 7, after the EF4 tornado hit Tuscaloosa April 27. A candlelight remembrance commemorating the six students who lost their lives in the tornado is also planned for Aug. 5.

“Our goal is to have a memorable commencement experience for all our students,” said Dr. Judy Bonner, provost and executive vice president. “Having three ceremonies will allow us to appropriately honor this record number of graduates. The candlelight service will also give us all an opportunity to remember the students who died April 27 as well as others who were impacted by the storm.”

Commencement exercises for students receiving graduate degrees will be at 6 p.m., Friday, Aug. 5. Two ceremonies to award undergraduate degrees will be held Saturday, Aug. 6, with students in the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Education and Human Environmental Sciences, and the School of Social Work receiving their degrees at 9 a.m. and students in the colleges of Commerce and Business Administration, Communication and Information Sciences, Engineering and Nursing receiving degrees at 2 p.m. All ceremonies will be in Coleman Coliseum.

The candlelight remembrance will be at 8:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 5 on the steps of Gorgas Library. In addition, the University will award posthumous degrees to the students who died in the tornado during the 9 a.m. ceremony on Saturday. These students will also be remembered at the 2 p.m. ceremony.

UA President Robert E. Witt will also host graduates at two receptions Friday afternoon, Aug. 5 at the President’s Mansion. The reception for May graduates will be from 1:30-3 p.m. and the reception for August graduates will be from 3-4:30 p.m. Students earning bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees and their families are invited to the receptions. May or August graduates are welcome to attend either reception if their schedules will not allow them to attend at the designated time.

Commencement Weekend Schedule 

Friday, Aug. 5
1:30-3 p.m.                  President’s reception for May graduates, President’s Mansion
3-4:30 p.m.                  President’s reception for August graduates, President’s Mansion    
6-8 p.m.                       Commencement exercises for all graduate students, Coleman Coliseum
8:30 p.m.                     Candlelight remembrance, steps of Gorgas Library
 
Saturday, Aug. 6
9-11:30 a.m.                Commencement exercises for undergraduates, Coleman Coliseum
                                                College of Arts and Sciences
                                                College of Education
                                                College of Human Environmental Sciences
                                                School of Social Work
2-4:30 p.m.                  Commencement exercises for undergraduates, Coleman Coliseum
                                                College of Commerce and Business Administration
                                                College of Communication and Information Sciences
                                                College of Engineering
                                                College of Nursing
Students who have questions concerning the commencement schedule should contact Michael George, University registrar, at michael.george@ua.edu or 205/348-2587.