Last spring, Ashley Blaha, who earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and business administration, celebrated with a fellow graduate before one of the commencement ceremonies for the Naveen Jindal School of Management. The Jindal School, the largest school at UT Dallas, will hold three ceremonies for fall commencement on Tuesday, starting at 9 a.m.

Friends, family members and supporters will mark the accomplishments of the newest class of graduates at The University of Texas at Dallas during commencement ceremonies Dec. 17-19.

Nearly 2,800 students are expected to earn their UT Dallas degrees this fall. This largest-ever December cohort of graduates includes 1,524 bachelor’s students and 1,189 master’s students. Seventy-one doctoral candidates also have been certified. About 2,750 students are expected to participate in commencement ceremonies, including some who earned their degrees over the summer.

Alumni Relations will “toast” graduates during Comets Take Flight at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center. Participants will be feted with a glass of champagne or sparkling cider and hors d’oeuvres. The first 100 graduating seniors attending the event will receive a free UT Dallas alumni T-shirt.

The formal recognition of the graduates will begin Monday with the doctoral hooding ceremony. During this ceremony, faculty members and students are dressed in traditional academic regalia, with family members and friends in attendance. As each comes to the stage, the student’s advisor places the doctoral hood over the head of the graduate, signifying his or her successful completion of the doctoral program.

Three commencement ceremonies on Tuesday will accommodate the 1,210 students expected to earn degrees from the Naveen Jindal School of Management, the largest school at UT Dallas.

An afternoon session will recognize 64 students from the School of Arts and Humanities, 253 from the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and 107 from the School of Interdisciplinary Studies.

A Wednesday morning session will honor 118 from the School of Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication, 150 from the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences and 205 from the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. The final two ceremonies will recognize 677 expected graduates from the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science.

In keeping with UT Dallas tradition, students have been chosen as commencement speakers. UT Dallas President Richard C. Benson also will address the graduates, their families, friends and supporters.

After each commencement ceremony, family, friends and graduates are invited to attend Memories on the Mall for refreshments, photo opportunities and giveaways. The tradition honors the University’s newest alumni and gives graduates the opportunity to reflect on their time at UT Dallas.

Those unable to attend the ceremonies can watch a livestream of the proceedings online.

 

Fall 2018 Commencement Speakers

portrait of Ezra CaladoEzra Calado, BS, accounting, Naveen Jindal School of Management
portrait of Kavneet KaurKavneet Kaur, BS, neuroscience, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
portrait of Arathy KrishnanArathy Krishnan, MS, information technology and management, Naveen Jindal School of Management
portrait of Archie NettlesArchie Nettles, MPA, School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences
portrait of Thomas QuintanaThomas Quintana, MBA, Naveen Jindal School of Management
portrait of Juliana RolandelliJuliana Rolandelli, BS, electrical engineering, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science
portrait of Jean-Pierre Salazar LuboJean-Pierre Salazar Lubo, BS, software engineering, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science