UW-Madison to bestow degrees May 17-19

More than 5,000 UW–Madison students will step up to the stage to receive their degrees during commencement weekend May 17-19.

Honorary degrees – this spring to pediatrician Lewis Barness, journalist Ruth Gruber, composer John Harbison, technology-transfer advocate Norman J. Latker, and former Security and Exchange Commission chairman David Ruder – will be conferred Friday, May 17, at 5:30 p.m. In addition, all doctoral degrees; professional degrees; and master of fine arts, legal institutions and physical therapy will be granted.

All bachelor’s degrees in the College of Letters and Science will be awarded Saturday, May 18. At 10 a.m., majors A-I (African Languages and Literature through Italian) will be take the stage. At 2 p.m., majors J-Z (Japanese through Zoology) will be honored.

Louis A. Holland, managing partner and chief investment officer of Holland Capital Management, will speak at both L&S ceremonies. President of HCM Investments Inc., Holland also serves on the UW Foundation board of directors. He earned a bachelor of science degree from UW in 1965, and is a veteran of both UW football and track teams.

Students graduating with bachelor’s or master’s degrees from UW–Madison’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences; schools of Education, Human Ecology, Medicine, Nursing or Pharmacy; and the Institute for Environmental Studies will receive degrees Sunday, May 19, at 10 a.m. The university will recognize bachelor’s and master’s candidates from its College of Engineering and School of Business at 2 p.m.

Speaking at both ceremonies will be Thomas F. Pyle Jr., who chairs The Pyle Group. The former principal owner of Rayovac, he, like Holland, is a member of the UW Foundation board of directors. Pyle received his master of business administration from the School of Business in 1963.

The Office of the Registrar anticipates about 3,600 students will be eligible for bachelor’s degrees. About 970 will receive masters and about 250 will receive Ph.D.s. Around 550 will be eligible for professional degrees. Actual numbers of graduates are not determined until after the end of the semester.

For more information, call the commencement hotline, (608) 262-9076.