Watch live: The May 2025 UK Commencement Ceremonies
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 9, 2025) — Today and tomorrow, the University of Kentucky will celebrate its newest alumni at the May 2025 Commencement Ceremonies.
More than 4,200 graduates are expected to participate across four ceremonies taking place May 9 and 10 in Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Overall 5,778 May degree candidates have been conferred by the UK Board of Trustees. This includes 3,653 undergraduate, 1,439 graduate and 686 professional degree candidates for May 2025.*
Ceremonies include:
9 a.m. Friday, May 9
2 p.m. Friday, May 9
6 p.m. Friday, May 9
- College of Medicine
- College of Health Sciences
- College of Communication and Information
- College of Nursing
- College of Social Work
9 a.m. Saturday, May 10
- Martin School of Public Policy and Administration
- College of Design
- Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering
- College of Public Health
- College of Pharmacy
- Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment
All four ceremonies will be livestreamed on UK’s YouTube channel, which will be accessible this weekend via the UK Commencement website and on UKNow.
Grad Gathering
The UK Alumni Association will host receptions for the graduates and their families in Club C of the Rupp Arena lower level. After graduates cross the stage, they are encouraged to come down with their families and enjoy free refreshments, photo opportunities, gifts and prizes. More information is available online.
Speakers
UK President Eli Capilouto will give remarks at each ceremony, followed by a speech from a student representative of the May 2025 class.
The four speakers include:
- Julianna Boulden, from Richmond, Kentucky, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in music education from the UK College of Fine Arts. She will deliver the student address at the 9 a.m. Friday, May 9 ceremony.
- Ethan Morgan, from Fairdealing, Kentucky, in Marshall County, graduating with bachelor’s degree in biology from the UK College of Arts and Sciences. He is also a member of the Lewis Honors College. He will deliver the student address at the 2 p.m. Friday, May 9 ceremony.
- Nigel Taylor, from Malden, Massachusetts, graduating with a doctoral degree in communication from the UK College of Communication and Information. He will deliver the student address at the 6 p.m. Friday, May 9 ceremony.
- Typer Chapman, from Ekron, Kentucky in Meade County, graduating with a master’s degree in public administration from the UK Martin School of Public Policy and Administration. He will deliver the student address at the 9 a.m. Saturday, May 10 ceremony.
Read more about the May 2025 student speakers.
During each ceremony, the university will continue its tradition of presenting in memoriam degrees to honor the memory of students who have died and the impact they made during their time at UK. With family consent, two in memoriam degrees will be announced and accepted on behalf of their families and loved ones.
Full video of each ceremony will be available after Commencement on the university’s YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/universityofkentucky.
Social media users are encouraged to use the hashtag #UKgrad.
For more information about UK Commencement, visit http://commencement.uky.edu/.
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*These numbers reflect degree candidates, not individual graduates (some graduates earn more than one degree, thereby being counted as a degree candidate multiple times). Degrees will be certified by the UK registrar, ensuring individuals have satisfactorily completed all requirements. The most up-to-date information is available through UK and Institutional Research, Analytics and Decision Support.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.