More than 225 University of Minnesota Morris students will receive their degrees at the 60th commencement on Saturday, May 13. The ceremony will take place at 1:30 p.m. on the campus mall. All are invited to attend or to watch the event streamed online.
CEREMONY PROGRAM
Student Color Guards will be Emma Hansen ’25, and Muthu Meenakshisundaram ’26. Eagle Staff Carrier is Gavin Zempel ’24, Bdewakantunwan Dakota from the Lower Sioux Indian Community. Mace Bearer will be Windy González Roberts, teaching specialist in Spanish. Dongting Cai ’24, and Briana Dokken ’24, as Student Marshals, will lead the graduates. Faculty Marshal will be Jenn Goodnough, associate professor of chemistry.
The Concert Choir will sing "The Star Spangled Banner." Acting Chancellor Janet Schrunk Ericksen will provide the welcome and recognition of special guests.
As 2023 recipient of the Curtis H. Larson Award, graduating senior Dylan Young ’23, Parmelee, South Dakota, will speak on behalf of the graduates.
In recognition of the campus's origins as an American Indian boarding school, the Northern Wind Singers (Woodland Ojibwe) will perform a Native American Honor Song to recognize and pay tribute to the Class of 2023. Anishinaabe Language Instructor Gabe Desrosiers '05, Anishinaabe, is the lead singer/composer for the group and the keeper of the drum.
COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
Steve Inskeep, host of NPR’s Morning Edition and Up First, will serve as commencement speaker. A native of Carmel, Indiana, Inskeep is a graduate of Morehead State University in Kentucky. He was hired by NPR in 1996. He has twice been part of NPR News teams awarded the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Silver Baton for coverage of Iraq.
Acting Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Dean Peh Ng and Humanities Division Chair Stacey Aronson will present the candidates, and University of Minnesota Regent Mike Kenyanya will confer the degrees.
University of Minnesota Morris Alumni Association President Randy Koopman ’78 will welcome the new graduates into the UMM Alumni Association. A reception will be held in the Student Center, Oyate Hall, after the ceremony.
IN CASE OF INCLEMENT WEATHER
In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held in the Cougar Sports Center. Seating will be limited to five guest tickets per graduate. Accommodations for unticketed guests to view the ceremony will be available in the Edson Auditorium, Morrison Performing Arts Center, Student Center.
WATCH WHEREVER YOU ARE
Commencement will be streamed online, beginning at 1 p.m. To learn more, visit morris.umn.edu/campus-events/commencement.