Speaker Announcement
UW–Madison graduates will hear from two outstanding keynote speakers. Headlining our bachelor’s degree ceremony will be Tony-, Grammy-, Obie-, and Emmy-award winning UW–Madison alum, André De Shields.
John Gottman, a UW–Madison alum known as one of the most influential psychologists in the country, will address graduate degree candidates in a separate ceremony.
Ceremony Times
The ceremony times have now been set. Here are the details:
Saturday, May 8, Noon
Bachelor’s Degree Candidate Ceremony
Keynote speaker: UW alumnus and Broadway star André De Shields
Saturday, May 8, 4 p.m.
Graduate Degree Candidate Ceremony (including Doctoral, Law, Medical, Professional, and Master’s Degree Candidates)
Keynote speaker and Honorary Degree Recipient: groundbreaking psychologist John Gottman, PhD
Class of 2020 Plans
If your student graduated in 2020, the university is planning an in-person celebration for all graduates for this upcoming fall. More details on the fall celebration will be released as plans come together.
Graduate Checklist
❏ If your student is planning to participate in-person or virtually this spring, they should complete their apply to graduate application in the Student Center of MyUW. The deadline to apply and be included in the commencement program, as well as receive important updates about the in-person and livestream ceremony, is Friday, April 9.
❏ Graduates looking to celebrate in style with UW academic attire should place their order with the University Book Store by Monday, April 12.
❏ Programs will not be distributed during the ceremonies, but will be available online through the commencement website. You can request a printed program to be mailed after the ceremony.
❏ All diplomas will be mailed with a diploma cover once grades are entered by schools and colleges. Diplomas and covers will arrive approximately 6–8 weeks after commencement. Encourage your student to update their diploma address.
Please visit the commencement website and our FAQs for more information about the ceremony. Our next email communication will provide important information about testing, vaccination protocols, and how graduates can prepare for the ceremony.
Congratulations to your student and your family. Please let us know if you have any questions. We look forward to keeping you updated.
Take care,
The UW-Madison Parent and Family Program Team
Stephanie Benson-Gonzales
Monica Ruppert