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June 10, 2014

139th commencement for UW’s Seattle campus at Husky Stadium June 14

A record 5,300-plus graduates, along with more than 40,000 family members, friends, faculty and other observers, are expected to attend the 139^th University of Washington commencement ceremonies June 14. The event is the first ceremony to be held in the renovated Husky Stadium after a two-year absence.

UW President Michael K. Young will preside as more than 12,400 degrees are conferred, including more than 7,700 bachelor’s degrees, more than 3,400 master’s degrees, 570 professional degrees, 15 educational specialist degrees and more than 700 doctoral degrees.

The commencement speaker is former Microsoft Corp. chief executive Steve Ballmer, who will be awarded an honorary doctor of science degree.

Graduates begin lining up on the Husky Stadium outdoor practice field at 12:30 p.m., and the academic procession begins at 1:30 p.m. The ceremony is scheduled for three hours but could be shortened if there is bad weather. For the previous two years, commencement was held at CenturyLink Field while Husky Stadium was being renovated.

The ceremony will be broadcast live on UWTV starting at 12:30 p.m. on Comcast channel 27 throughout the Puget Sound region, and will be streamed live at http://uwtv.org/live. The ceremonies will also be rebroadcast for several weeks following the event (check the UWTV schedule). DVDs of the commencement ceremony can be ordered from University Book Store.

Degrees are awarded to those who have completed academic requirements some time during the 2013-2014 academic year. Special honors to be acknowledged include the Alumnus Summa Laude Dignatus, Distinguished Teaching Awards, and President’s Medals presented to two graduating seniors, a four-year student and a transfer student, with the most distinguished academic records.

Members of the Board of Regents, deans and other representatives of the university’s 16 colleges and schools will participate in the ceremony. Many colleges and schools also have separate graduation programs and investiture ceremonies.

UW Tacoma will celebrate its 24^th commencement at 10 a.m. Friday, June 13, at the Tacoma Dome. The featured speaker will be Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, a UW graduate. About 1,540 students will receive degrees.

UW Bothell will celebrate its 23^rd commencement at 1:45 p.m. Sunday, June 15, at Hec Edmundson Pavilion, Alaska Airlines Arena. John Quiñones, the Emmy Award-winning co-anchor of ABC-TV’s “Primetime” and anchor of “What Would You Do?”, will be the commencement speaker. About 1,460 students will receive degrees.

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