UW-Whitewater December commencement set for Dec. 14
November 27, 2024
Written by Kristine Zaballos | Photos by Craig Schreiner
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater will celebrate the achievements of its graduates at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, as proud families and friends gather for the 2024 December commencement ceremony.
Approximately 815 students will be earning their degrees. The ceremony, about two hours long and presided over by Chancellor Corey A. King, will be held at Kachel Fieldhouse in the Williams Center.
This year’s commencement speaker is Monica Kelsey-Brown, an alumna who has devoted her career to creating equitable educational opportunities and inspiring young minds. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at UW-Whitewater, building the foundation for her impactful career, and later completed her doctorate at UW-Madison. Kelsey-Brown currently serves as superintendent of the Waunakee Community School District, where she leads with a focus on innovation, inclusion, and student success.
The student speaker is Jordyn Robinson, a Milwaukee native who is earning his Bachelor of Arts in journalism with an emphasis in advertising and a minor in sports management. A first-generation college student, campus leader and passionate community advocate, on campus he worked to create inclusive spaces where all students could feel a sense of belonging and thrive academically and socially in his roles as president of the Black Student Union and student affairs director in Whitewater Student Government. He is the founder and owner of The GRINDmke, which provides athletic apparel, sports management, college recruitment and athletic training services in track, football and basketball.
Included in the approximately 633 students expected to participate in the ceremony are 52 undergraduates from the College of Arts and Communication, 154 from the College of Business and Economics, 139 from the College of Education and Professional Studies, six from the College of Integrated Studies, 130 from the College of Letters and Sciences, and six degrees that are not college-specific, for a total of 487 undergraduate degrees. The School of Graduate Studies will award 146 degrees, including 136 master's degrees and nine doctorates.
83 percent of the graduating students come from Wisconsin, and 24 states and three countries are represented in the graduating class.
The graduating class includes three international students, 58 military veterans and 138 nontraditional students, defined as undergraduate students who are 25 years of age or older. In addition, 80 self-identified students with disabilities — about 10% of the students graduating — will receive degrees.
A total of 44 graduating students participated in the university’s Hired Before Graduation campaign, which celebrates students who landed a job, earned acceptance to graduate school or started their own business before commencement.
Commencement will be broadcast live online by UWW-TV, the university television station. Access to the livestream will be posted on the university's commencement website.
