More than 1,100 students will celebrate the completion of their academic degree programs in the 2020 winter virtual commencement ceremony Dec. 18. The main ceremony begins at 1 p.m. MST through YouTube, with college-specific ceremonies to follow at approximately 2 p.m.
Complete information for graduates can be found at commencement.uccs.edu/fall-ceremony. The ceremony links will be available on the commencement site Dec. 18, and is free and open to the public.
Format
The ceremony will take place in two waves, one for all graduating students and another for each individual college.
The main ceremony begins at 1 p.m., and will feature the conferral of doctorate, master’s and bachelor’s degrees, welcome to the graduates into the alumni association and the keynote speaker. Pat McGuire, associate professor of teaching and learning and co-director of UCCSTeach, will serve as the commencement marshal.
Each individual college ceremony will begin at approximately 2 p.m., after the conclusion of the main ceremony, and includes a message from each dean and the individual recognition of each graduate. The length of each college ceremony will be dependent on the size of the college.
Commencement speakers
Patty Erjavec, president of Pueblo Community College and a 2015 UCCS graduate with her doctoral degree in education leadership, will deliver the commencement address as the 2020 Distinguished Alumna.
CU President Mark Kennedy will address graduates. Regent John Carson will deliver the Norlin Charge to the graduates.
Ways to celebrate
There are multiple opportunities to celebrate commencement, for the graduates, their families, alumni and community members.
- Social media:
- Facebook frames:
- Instagram and Facebook Effect: Let your friends and followers know you’re graduating by posting a selfie on your Story with the new “2020 Grad Cap” effect. Try it out on Facebook and Instagram. Be sure to tag UCCS for a chance to be featured on social media.
- Pinterest: From photo props to celebratory treat recipes to creative graduation photo ideas, the 2020 Commencement Board is filled with fun ways to celebrate graduation.
- Print-from-home signs: There are a variety of signs that can be printed at home to show support for the Class of 2020.
- Send a personal message to the graduates: Write a message to the Class of 2020 by using the Kudo Board.
- Purchase mementos: The UCCS Bookstore provides a range of materials to remember the commencement ceremonies.
- Each graduate should have already received a mortar board, and undergraduate students should have received a tassel, in the mail.
- Each graduate will receive their diploma cover, Latin honor cords and commemorative programs shortly after the ceremony. Graduate students will receive their tassels in the upcoming mailing.
Alumni Association
Upon graduation, each student will join nearly 53,000 UCCS alumni. Enrollment in the UCCS Alumni and Friends Association is complimentary and offers special events each year to keep alumni engaged with their alma mater.
The alumni association also offers a black and gold legacy cord for graduates with an immediate family member who is also a UCCS graduate. Students who donate to the class gift will also receive a blue cord in recognition of their gift back to UCCS.