Utah Valley University's 77th Commencement Exercises will be held on Thursday, May 3, in celebration of more than 6,000 graduates.
Commencement exercises begin at 6:30 p.m. in the UCCU Center on UVU's Orem Campus. The featured speaker will be Wolf Blitzer, CNN's award-winning lead political anchor and host of the network's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" and "Wolf." The university's eight individual college and school convocations will be held across campus on Friday, May 4.
Graduates will receive 329 certificates/diplomas, 2,432 associate degrees, 3,372 bachelor degrees, 194 master degrees (more than double the previous year's total), and three graduate certificates.
More than 4,500 of the graduates are from Utah. The most populated areas of study for this year's graduating class are university studies, behavioral science, business management, aviation science, communication, nursing, business, accounting, pre-professional, and elementary education.
Blitzer's extensive, 40-plus-year reporting career covering domestic and international politics and breaking news will provide fascinating context to his remarks. He has interviewed U.S. presidents and world leaders including former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and former South African President Nelson Mandela. He has moderated multiple Republican and Democratic presidential debates, and he anchored CNN's coverage during the presidential inaugurations of Barack Obama and George W. Bush.
During the commencement proceedings, honorary doctoral degrees will be presented to Blitzer as well as three other outstanding individuals. Blitzer will receive a doctorate of humane letters; the Reverend France Davis of Calvary Baptist Church will receive a doctorate of education; author and speaker Stephanie Nielson will receive a doctorate of humane letters; and Utah Community Credit Union CEO Jeffrey L. Sermon will receive a doctorate of business.
Convocations for UVU's individual colleges and schools will be held Friday, May 4.
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About Utah Valley University
At 37,282 students and growing, Utah Valley University is the largest public university
in the state of Utah and one of a few in the nation offering a dual-mission model
that combines the rigor and richness of a first-rate teaching university with the
openness and vocational programs of a community college.
UVU's unique model, which focuses on student success, engaged learning, rigorous academic programs and faculty-mentored research, is transforming higher education by making it more affordable and accessible to students of all backgrounds.