More and more green will be seen during this year’s commencement than ever before; three ceremonies are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, May 12-13, to confer degrees. For the first time, undergraduates and those awarded certificates will wear green robes during graduation exercises.
Commencement is the culmination of years of study for degree candidates at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level. This year, approximately 4,300 students and their families and friends, along with University leaders, faculty, staff and invited guests, will join in the celebration.
At 1 p.m., Friday, May 12, degree candidates for the Belk College of Business, College of Computing and Informatics, College of Health and Human Services and the Graduate School will gather in Halton Arena, located in the Barnhardt Student Activity Center, for commencement.
On Saturday, May 13, the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences — the University’s largest college — and the Graduate School will award degrees at 10 a.m., and the Cato College of Education, College of Arts + Architecture, the William States Lee College of Engineering and the Graduate School will confer degrees at 3 p.m.
During the afternoon ceremony, Matthew Davies, a professor of mechanical engineering and engineering science from the Lee College of Engineering, will be acknowledged formally as one of the 2017 recipients of the UNC Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching. This annual honor recognizes one faculty member at each of North Carolina’s public institutions; it comes with a cash prize and commemorative medallion.
UNC Charlotte began holding three spring commencement ceremonies in May 2014; the change from two Saturday ceremonies enabled graduates to request more tickets per student.