University of Cincinnati Celebrates Commencement on Dec. 8

The University of Cincinnati will hold Commencement Exercises for summer and fall graduates at

1:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 8, in Fifth Third Arena at Shoemaker Center. Doors to Fifth Third Arena open at noon.

Attendance with graduates and guests is expected to number more than 4,000. This marks the third year for this special Commencement Ceremony in December to recognize the achievements of students who completed their degrees last summer and this fall. Each and every graduate will be called by name to the stage to be congratulated by UC President Nancy L. Zimpher, an example of the UC|21 Academic Plan to celebrate student success and place students at the center of the university.

Over the summer and fall, the Office of Institutional Research reports that 2,761 students applied for graduation as they completed their requirements toward a total of 2,771 degrees (some students earn more than one degree), including

  • 350 associate degrees
  • 1,040 baccalaureate degrees
  • 1,153 master’s degrees
  • 228 doctoral degrees

This is the second December in a row that the spring and autumn master’s degrees candidates reported the most degrees.

Click here for a statistical look at the UC graduating class

Jeffrey P. Williams, president of Jeffrey Williams & Co. and trustee and chairman of the University of Cincinnati Foundation, will address the graduates the December All University Commencement Ceremony.

The University will also bestow honorary doctorates to

John E. Pepper, retired chairman and CEO of Procter & Gamble and current co-chair of the Board of Directors for the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, who will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters and

Malcolm Wiener, an Aegean prehistorian, author and world lecturer, who will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.

During the ceremony, UC will present the Cincinnati USA Outstanding Educator Awards. Four teachers from around the Tristate will be presented with a $1,000 UC scholarship to be awarded to a high-school senior who plans to attend UC in the 2008-2009 academic year. The educators were nominated by soon-to-graduate UC students who wanted to recognize a K-12 educator who had a lasting impression on their pursuit of a college degree.

Read about the recipients of the Cincinnati USA Outstanding Educator Award

The December Commencement Ceremony will be Webcast by UC’s Presentation Technologies and Services Group.

Click here to link to the Commencement Ceremony Webcast


This marks the ninth year that UC Commencement has been carried on the Internet.

The UC Alumni Association will sponsor a reception for all graduates and guests immediately following the ceremony. The reception will take place at the Myers Alumni Center.

UC Commencement Web site

Related Commencement News

Mom and Dad Earn Degrees, While Preemie Twins Make it All Worthwhile

Two UC Graduates March Together as They Have Again and Again

Graduate Exemplifies Goals of UC Program for Talented Business Students

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