COMMENCEMENT

UW-Whitewater’s December 2025 commencement ceremony was held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13, in Kachel Fieldhouse on the Whitewater campus.

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A recording of the ceremony is available for viewing free of charge until Jan. 23, 2026.

Each graduating student will be issued seven tickets in the form of pre-printed wristbands. The wristbands can be picked up from the One Stop in Room 129 of the University Center (inside the Warhawk Connection Center) between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. from Nov. 14 through Dec. 12. Wristbands can also be picked up at the Will Call box office on the second floor of the Williams Center starting at 8 a.m. on Dec. 13, the day of the ceremonies.

Does your family need extra wristbands for commencement, or do you have wristband you won’t use? UW-Whitewater has an exchange designed to help students connect with each other. Your student can access the Commencement Wristband Exchange of the Graduation Services website.

All guests must be wearing their wristbands to enter the fieldhouse. For those without wristbands, remote viewing is available in Timmerman Auditorium in Hyland Hall.

The following campus locations are open on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025:

Commencement parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis. All campus lots will be free of charge on commencement day.

Passenger drop-off: Anyone wishing to drop off guests — such as families with young children or older relatives — before parking should use the north entrance of the Williams Center by following the accessible drop-off signs. University Police will be on site to assist with traffic flow. After dropping off, please allow yourself time to park in any open campus lot.

University Police will direct those in need of accessible parking, which is limited, to lot #11. Only vehicles with state-issued disabled license plates, permits or placards will be permitted in this lot.

Guest access
The commencement ceremony will be fully accessible. A drop-off location, accessible parking, and accessible seating will be available for individuals with disabilities or limited mobility. Seating will be determined on a first-come, first-served basis and is limited to only those guests who require it. One seat for each guest needing an accessible space is reserved for a companion. Entire groups can sit together if the rest of the row is available. No pre-ticketing will occur for accessible seating. Wheelchair and wheelchair companion locations are scattered throughout the main level. Family members and guests should provide their own mobility devices; UW-Whitewater does not provide wheelchairs or walkers.

Accommodations for deaf/hard of hearing guests
The seating area is served by assistive listening devices (ALD) on an FM system. Individuals may pick up headsets at the Recreation Sports and Facilities Office, located in room 100 of the Williams Center (near the north entrance doors of the fieldhouse), and must leave some form of collateral, such as a driver’s license or credit card, while using the ALD. In addition, the ceremony will be ASL interpreted and projected to the audience.

Accommodations for nursing mothers
Please feel free to feed your child anywhere you wish. If you would like a more comfortable area, please head to room 105 in the Williams Center (athletic training room).

Restroom changing stations
Changing stations are located in the following areas in the Williams Center: women's restrooms (rooms 163 and 207) and men's restrooms (rooms 159 and 204).

Restrooms
The public restrooms are accessible.

Accommodations for graduating students
Graduates who need accommodations to participate in the commencement ceremony can make arrangements by contacting Sara Vogt at vogts@uww.edu.

The May 2026 commencement ceremonies

The May 2026 commencement ceremonies will take place on the Whitewater campus at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 16.

  • The 10 a.m. ceremony will honor the College of Arts and Communication and the College of Business and Economics (undergraduates and graduate students from related programs).
  • The 3 p.m. ceremony will honor the College of Education and Professional Studies and the College of Letters and Sciences (undergraduates and graduate students from related programs), and the College of Integrated Studies (BAAS students).

The Rock County campus will hold its commencement ceremony in the gymnasium of the Wells Cultural Center at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.

This website will be updated as more information becomes available.

Students pose for Hired Before Graduation.

Every year, UW-Whitewater showcases the many students who have landed a job, earned a job promotion, been accepted to graduate school, or started a company before they’ve even hit the stage at graduation.

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