UK to Honor Fall Graduates at December Commencement Ceremonies This Friday

This Friday, the University of Kentucky will honor approximately 1,800 Fall 2019 graduates at the December 2019 Commencement Ceremonies.  

The two ceremonies will begin 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20, in Rupp Arena. Both ceremonies will be livestreamed on the university's YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/IiGmgAyStYo. This link will also be accessible via the UKNow homepage on Friday.

• 10 a.m.: College of Agriculture, Food and Environment; College of Education; College of Engineering; College of Fine Arts; College of Medicine; College of Social Work; College of Public Health; College of Pharmacy; Martin School of Public Policy and Administration; Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce
• 3 p.m.: College of Arts and Sciences; Gatton College of Business and Economics; College of Communication and Information; College of Design; College of Health Sciences; College of Nursing

Approximately 1,800 undergraduate and graduate students are eligible for Fall 2019 degree conferral, and over 1,000 are expected to participate in this Friday's ceremonies. August 2019 degree recipients are also eligible to participate in the December ceremonies — over 900 degrees were conferred for August.

Doctoral, master's and baccalaureate degree recipients are recognized together based on their colleges.

Parking Due to construction around Rupp Arena and Lexington Center, parking and entry information is limited. Graduates and their guests should arrive at least one hour before the start of their ceremony. View a parking map here.

Honorary degree An honorary degree will be presented at the 10 a.m. ceremony to Porter "P.G." Peeples, president and chief executive officer of the Urban League of Lexington. Peeples is a 1968 graduate of UK — one of the few African American students to enroll and graduate at that time. The following year, at the age of 22, Peeples was named the director of the new Lexington chapter of the Urban League, making him the youngest chapter director in the United States. He has dedicated his life to serving Lexington and its African American community through an over 50-year career of civil rights and social justice advocacy with the Urban League.

Student speakers In addition to UK President Eli Capilouto, a student representative will address the audience at each of the ceremonies, as per UK tradition. Daniel Beasley, from Elizabethtown, Kentucky, is graduating with a bachelor's degree from the College of Social Work. He will give the Commencement address at the 10 a.m. ceremony. Ndeye Matou Amar, from Senegal, West Africa, is graduating with a bachelor's degree in psychology from the College of Arts and Sciences. She will deliver the Commencement address at the 3 p.m. ceremony.

For more information, visit www.uky.edu/commencement/fallceremonies.