Applications for December 2020 Commencement Student Speaker Now Open
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 30, 2020) — The University of Kentucky announced this week that it will celebrate its December 2020 graduates with a virtual Commencement ceremony 2 p.m. EST Friday, Dec. 4. As is tradition, a student speaker will still be featured during the ceremony.
The student speaker, selected by President Eli Capilouto, will deliver a three- to five-minute virtual address to the graduates in the Class of 2020. Applications are currently open through 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6. Apply here.
In addition to the student speaker, the virtual ceremony will also feature many of the same portions of an in-person Commencement, including a message from Capilouto, a message from the president of the UK Alumni Association and recognition of the graduates.
Students interested in applying must be receiving a degree from UK at the December Commencement ceremony. Undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional degree candidates may apply. Applicants must have contributed to the university through campus and community activities or through their chosen field of study. Additionally, candidates must show affirmation of public speaking ability and be willing to present their address to the Commencement Speaker Selection Committee, who sends recommendations to the president.
Application materials include a resume with detailed activities, work experience and accomplishments achieved during the applicant's study at UK. A summary of no more than three typed, double-spaced pages of the applicant's proposed speech and a completed online application are required.
Incomplete applications are unable to be considered by the selection committee. Documents are required to be submitted in PDF format with the applicant's first and last name.
For more information, visit https://commencement.uky.edu/student-speakers or the Commencement website.
About the December 2020 virtual Commencement ceremony
Graduates from May and August 2020 are invited to participate if they choose, however this ceremony is not a replacement for the traditional UK Commencement Ceremonies. Similar to this past May, the university is fully committed to honoring the December, August and May 2020 graduates at an appropriate time, when it can be done in a safe and healthy way.
Commencement is one of the best days of the year at UK. The university deeply regrets that we cannot celebrate our graduates in the same ways we have in the past. However, amid a global pandemic and COVID-19 cases increasing in Kentucky and other states, this was considered the best decision for our community.
The university has partnered with commencement vendor Marching Order to execute the virtual ceremony. Students who have applied to receive a degree in December will be contacted about registering to participate in the virtual Commencement. Students who received their degrees in May or August and want to participate in the virtual ceremony should email commencement@uky.edu to register.
Approximately 2,000 students are expected to earn their diplomas this semester. More information on how to access the livestream link will be provided on the Commencement website closer to Dec. 4.
The Alumni Association is hosting a campus-wide Senior Week Nov. 16-20 to celebrate graduates on campus. Graduates will be able to pick up their diploma cover during this time.
To prepare for Graduation, graduates can visit www.ukalumni.net/gradsalute to find additional information about ordering a cap, gown and tassel; purchasing a class ring; joining the UK Alumni Association; and more.
For other Commencement FAQs, please visit https://commencement.uky.edu.
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.
In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.