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Commencement ceremonies break in new home

May 10, 1998

Free shuttle transportation for commencement ceremonies

Spring graduates will inaugurate UW–Madison’s new Kohl Center as the university’s commencement venue. Approximately 4,000 will be eligible for degrees at five ceremonies May 15-17:

  • Friday, May 15, 5 p.m., doctorate and master of fine arts degrees. Honorary degrees also will be granted at this ceremony.
  • Saturday, May 16, 10 a.m., College of Letters and Science bachelor’s and master’s degrees, majors A-I (African languages and literature through Italian).
  • Saturday, May 16, 2 p.m., L & S bachelor’s and master’s degrees, majors J-Z (Japanese through zoology). Greta Van Susteren, Cable News Network legal correspondent, will speak at both Saturday ceremonies.

    Multiple majors should attend the ceremony of the first major alphabetically.

  • Sunday, May 17, 10 a.m., bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences; Schools of Education, Human Ecology, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy; and the Institute for Environmental Studies. Speaking will be Gloria Ladson-Billings, UW–Madison associate professor of curriculum and instruction.
  • Sunday, May 17, 2 p.m., bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the College of Engineering and School of Business. David Walsh, partner and management committee member in the Madison law firm of Foley & Lardner, will speak.

The UW–Madison Office of the Secretary of the Faculty coordinates commencement exercises. Secretary of the Faculty David Musolf says he’s pleased with the opportunity to use the Kohl Center for the ceremonies. “Although I expect nostalgia for the Field House will linger, graduates, family members and friends will appreciate the expanded and improved seating, a state-of-the-art sound system and, if needed, air conditioning — it’s been known to get very warm and uncomfortable in ‘the Barn’ during commencement weekend,” Musolf says.

Attendance at commencement ceremonies is limited to families and friends of the graduates. No tickets will be required. Parking will be available in most university lots and ramps, or in the city of Madison’s Lake Street Ramp. Degree candidates are asked to be seated 20 minutes before the start of their ceremony. Alcohol is strictly forbidden.

Special events surrounding commencement will include the commissioning of 25 ROTC students. The ceremony will take place May 17, 7 p.m., in the Assembly Chambers at the State Capitol. The guest speaker will be Rear Adm. Kevin Green, commander of the Great Lakes Naval Training Center.

Jordan J. Cohen, president and chief executive officer, of the Association of American Medical Colleges, will present the keynote speech at the UW Medical School’s recognition ceremony at 9 a.m., May 15, in the Memorial Union Theater.

Each year the Medical School hosts the special ceremony linked to commencement to recognize graduating seniors and their families and friends. Soon after the festivities, most of this year’s 143 graduates will head on to residency programs throughout the country.

For more information, call the commencement hotline, 262-9076.