The 162nd Commencement will be held in the Grove at 9 a.m. Saturday.
On May 9, candidates for degrees will walk across the stage at their individual ceremonies, but they also have an opportunity that morning to gather in the Grove with their classmates for one last time as students during convocation.
That 10-acre park is where most students have spent many hours over the last few years. From studying in the shade to gathering with friends and family before a football game, the Grove will always have a special place in the hearts of alumni.
The large convocation ceremony was moved to Grove in 1998, allowing graduation candidates to enjoy the heart of campus one last time. Students are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to reflect on their accomplishments and life at Ole Miss during the university’s 162nd Commencement ceremony.
“The Commencement ceremony is an important opportunity to celebrate the completion of a significant stage of life, a time of reflection for the graduates and their families, and a time to look forward to new opportunities,” said Gloria Kellum, vice chancellor emerita for university relations. “This transitional ceremony helps prepare the graduates for a new phase of membership in the Ole Miss family. Being Ole Miss alumni signifies an academic achievement and creates a worldwide connectivity to the Ole Miss family. The degree will open doors throughout the graduates’ lives.”
Teresa A. Sullivan, president of the University of Virginia, will deliver the main address at 9 a.m. Saturday. Previous speakers at the ceremony have included Gov. Phil Bryant, civil rights activist and author Myrlie Evers-Williams, broadcaster Shepard Smith and U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker.
Also at this ceremony, awards will be presented and degrees will be conferred.
Guest speakers at individual ceremonies include UM alumna Edith Kelly-Green at the Patterson School of Accountancy ceremony, radio and television personality Paul Finebaum at the School of Law and Rose Flenorl Jackson at the Meek School of Journalism and New Media.
For more information about convocation and graduation ceremonies and plans for inclement weather, click here.