Convocation and commencement

Here we are. The hours are completed, the work is done and paperwork filed. You are officially a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. Why not celebrate? I would like to encourage you to do just that, not only once, but twice.

All graduates of OU – summer, December and May – are eligible to participate in the university-wide commencement ceremony Friday, May 14 inside Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. This is truly a spectacular event and one that will cap your tremendous accomplishment. Graduates line up outside the stadium and march in together. Regents and other university officers will be there, along with professors, deans and the OU president as well.

Talk about pomp and circumstance. There will plenty of that with flags, banners, trumpets, bagpipes, drums and a great speaker, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin promises to be memorable. Degrees are officially confirmed, everyone sings the OU Chant and the evening concludes with a massive fireworks display.

The next day, Saturday, May 15 the College of Liberal Studies will host convocation for all its graduates in the Rupel Jones Theater. That is on the north end of campus near the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art.

College convocation ceremonies provide you an opportunity to celebrate specifically with CLS. At this event you will be individually recognized, meet your professors and our associate dean, Trent Gabert and our dean, James Pappas who will present you with your diploma cover.

OU head women’s basketball Coach Sherri Coale is the CLS convocation speaker and I think you will find her to be very inspiring. Bring your friends and family. Plan to arrive at 10 a.m. to line up. The ceremony will start at 10:30. There is a parking garage across the street so that should not be a problem. The address is 563 Elm Avenue.

This is as festive and fun celebration and I look forward to seeing you there!