Students graduating from UNMC in May will be recognized through a virtual ceremony that blends UNMC’s traditional commencement and convocation ceremonies. In addition, every graduate will be given the option to participate in the December commencement ceremony or any future ceremony.
UNMC’s May ceremonies will be held in this online format on May 7 and 9. Separate online ceremonies will be held for each of UNMC’s six academic colleges and a separate ceremony will be held for those receiving graduate studies degrees. More than 1,000 students are expected to receive their diplomas from UNMC this spring. Students who graduate in August traditionally take part in commencement ceremonies held in either May or December.
Moving commencement to an online format enables UNMC to follow through on its commitment to celebrate the accomplishments of its students while remaining mindful of the health and safety of our campuses and communities as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
“Commencement is a critical event for the UNMC community as we recognize the academic achievements of those who have worked so hard to attain a degree,” said Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D. “While the ceremonies this spring will certainly be a change of pace, an online celebration allows us to keep some sense of normalcy in these uncertain times and enables us to provide our graduates with well-deserved recognition.”
Each streaming ceremony will include both the college’s convocation ceremony and the traditional commencement ceremony that includes remarks from Chancellor Gold, the recognition of special degrees or awards, and remarks from the dean and a student or invited guest speaker from each college. Each ceremony will conclude with the conferral of degrees.
The conferral of degrees will include individual recognition of each student receiving a diploma. Each student’s name will be read aloud as their name, photo, and degree received are displayed for the audience. Family members, friends and loved ones will be able to follow along and celebrate each graduate’s accomplishments during each ceremony through the streaming services.
This May, UNMC will award an honorary Doctorate of Science Degree for high distinction to Nebraska native and UNMC alumnus Doyt Conn, M.D. Dr. Conn’s 25-year distinguished career at the Mayo Clinic was followed by service as a full-time clinician, scientist, and educator at Emory University School of Medicine, and Grady Health Systems in Atlanta. The Scottsbluff native also helped establish medical services in Kenya for Somali refugees and helped set up a hospital in Rwanda to serve survivors of the Rwandan genocide during the 1990s.
Anne Hubbard, M.D., a physician, philanthropist, and a UNMC alumnus, will be honored with the UNMC Chancellor’s Distinguished Service Award for her longtime commitment to the university, and to ensuring a healthy future for Nebraskans. Through the Claire M. Hubbard Foundation, which honors her mother, Dr. Hubbard has supported several organizations to include support advancing the education, research and patient care missions of UNMC. She is dedicated to the education and health of children, underserved communities and understanding the importance of the environment and natural resources to human health.
Roger Reamer, CEO of Memorial Health Care Systems in Seward, Neb., will be honored with the J.G. Elliott Award for his decades of service to his fellow Nebraskans, notably as a leader and advocate for health care administration, public health initiatives and health science education for rural communities. His leadership and collaborative efforts have helped rural hospitals and health care organizations improve delivery of care and build effective alliances for long term sustainability.
Graduating students who would still like the opportunity to participate in the UNMC December Commencement, or any upcoming UNMC commencement ceremony will have the option to do so. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available here.
“As we work through this public health crisis this spring and summer, we want students and families to know we are all in this together. UNMC is committed to continuing students on their academic journey,” Dr. Gold said. “Classes continue in remote mode, and we will confer students with their degrees and celebrate their accomplishments in May. We hope some of you can join us in December.”
Additional information:
- Hardcopies of diplomas will be provided to each graduating student.
- Graduates will receive their cap, gown and hood (as appropriate), and all attire would be theirs to keep.
- A program for May 2020 commencement and convocation ceremonies will be available digitally. Print copies will be made available to each graduating student.