Iowa State’s December graduating class to be honored with ceremonies

Students+fire+off+streamers+as+%E2%80%9CSweet+Caroline%E2%80%9D+played+to+close+out+the+morning+commencement+ceremony+for+the+class+of+2019.+The+ceremony%2C+which+took+place+May+11+at+Hilton+Coliseum%2C+honored+graduates+for+both+the+spring+and+upcoming+summer+term.%C2%A0

Madelyn Ostendorf/Iowa State Daily

Students fire off streamers as “Sweet Caroline” played to close out the morning commencement ceremony for the class of 2019. The ceremony, which took place May 11 at Hilton Coliseum, honored graduates for both the spring and upcoming summer term. 

Sage Smith

An estimated 2,231 Iowa State graduating students will be recognized with two commencement ceremonies Friday and Saturday, according to a press release.

The amount of graduating students this semester marks the fourth straight December graduating class of 2,000 or more students. President Wendy Wintersteen will speak at the opening of both ceremonies.

Friday’s ceremony will be for the Graduate College. The ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. in the Hilton Coliseum. There is an estimated 107 doctoral and 245 master’s candidates to receive their diplomas.

José Rosa, marketing professor and John and Deborah Ganoe faculty fellow in the Ivy College of Business, will speak at the Graduate College ceremony.

At 1:30 p.m. Saturday, also in the Hilton Coliseum, will be the undergraduate ceremony where an estimated 1,879 students will receive bachelor’s degrees. Alumnus Daniel Houston, the chairman, president and CEO of Des Moines-based Principal Financial Group, will speak at Saturday’s ceremony.

The colleges of Iowa State will also be acknowledging their graduating students with informal receptions both Friday and Saturday. The full schedule for these receptions can be found on the press release on Inside Iowa State.

There are no tickets needed for the graduation events. For those unable to attend, the ceremonies will be livestreamed on Iowa State’s Graduation and Commencement website.