UK, WRFL to Broadcast Special Graduate Celebration

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 30, 2020) — The University of Kentucky student-run radio station WRFL 88.1FM will broadcast the names of May and August 2020 graduates over a span of a week beginning Sunday, May 3 and concluding Saturday, May 9. The celebratory week will culminate with a final program including speeches by President Eli Capilouto and Student Government Association (SGA) President Michael Hamilton on May 9.

The special broadcasts will feature the names of undergraduate, master’s, professional and doctoral students who applied for May and August 2020 degrees being read by Carl Nathe of UK Public Relations and Strategic Communications and will be organized by college. Each name reading session will last around 30 minutes and will be accompanied by a special “graduation playlist” of music curated by WRFL student leaders and DJs. Nathe, who is well known for serving as public address announcer for home UK football games, has announced students' names at traditional Commencement ceremonies for the last several years.

This weeklong broadcast event will not take the place of an in-person Commencement ceremony for Spring and Summer 2020 graduates. More details on Commencement will be made available in the coming weeks.

“Although we are unable to physically be in the station, we are still able to provide programming 24/7, 365 days a year via pre-recorded shows and remote control access to our on-air computer,” said WRFL general manager Allison Pin. “With this unique advantage, we are able to think outside the box with a lot of ways we can still serve the campus and community, and this is one of those outside-the-box opportunities.”

The concept was spearheaded by WRFL and other student leaders and staff within the Office of Student Organizations and Activities and the Office of University Events with students having the opportunity to arrange the schedule, produce the recordings and design the promotional graphic materials.

The WRFL team has arranged for John Birdwell of the UK Wind Symphony and John Nardolillo of the UK Symphony Orchestra to provide recordings of their ensembles performing to accompany Nathe’s reading of graduate names.

Graduates, students, parents and other listeners can access the broadcast via radio at 88.1FM or via streaming from the WRFL website: wrfl.fm. Additional information and the links to each day’s streams will be available on the BBNvolved platform events page.

Individual colleges across the university are also offering virtual celebration events, videos and social media plans. 

The schedule of graduate celebration on WRFL is as follows:

Sunday, May 3 

1-1:30 p.m. EDT

• College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Part 1 (doctoral degrees and BS degrees in ag economics; agriculture; ag and medical biotechnology; animal sciences; career and tech education; community and leadership development; community communications and leadership development; dietetics; equine science and management; family sciences; food science; forestry; horticulture, plant and soil science; hospitality management and tourism; human nutrition; landscape architecture; merchandising apparel and textiles)

3-3:30 p.m. EDT

• College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Part 2 (BS degrees in natural resources and environmental science; sustainable agriculture and community food systems; undergrad certificates in agriculture; masters degrees)
• College of Dentistry (all)
• J. David Rosenberg College of Law (all)
• College of Medicine (all)
• Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce and Martin School of Public Policy and Administration (all)

Monday, May 4

1-1:30 p.m. EDT

• College of Arts and Sciences, Part 1 (all doctoral and masters degrees, BA degrees in anthropology, biology, chemistry and economics)

3-3:30 p.m. EDT

• College of Arts and Sciences, Part 2 (BA degrees in English; environmental and sustainability studies; foreign language and international economics; gender and women's studies; geography; geological sciences; health, society and populations; history; international studies; linguistics; mathematical economics; mathematics; modern and classical languages, literatures and cultures; philosophy; political science; sociology; Spanish; topical majors; U.S. culture and business practices; writing rhetoric and digital studies; Bachelor of Liberal Studies; BS degrees in mathematics)

Tuesday, May 5

1-1:30 p.m. EDT

• College of Arts and Sciences, Part 3 (BA degrees in psychology; BS degrees in anthropology; biology; chemistry; foreign language and international economics; geography; geological sciences; international studies; mathematical economics; modern and classical languages, literatures and cultures; neuroscience; physics; political science; psychology; undergraduate certificates in global studies, Appalachian studies; international film studies)

3-3:30 p.m. EDT

• Gatton College of Business and Economics, Part 1 (doctoral degrees, MBA degrees, Master of Science in Accounting degrees, Master of Science in Finance degrees, BA of Business Administration in Finance degrees)

Wednesday, May 6

1-1:30 p.m. EDT

• Gatton College of Business and Economics, Part 2 (BA of Business Administration in Management degrees, BA of Business Administration in Marketing degrees)

3-3:30 p.m. EDT

• Gatton College of Business and Economics, Part 3 (BS degrees in accounting and economics)
• College of Fine Arts (all)
• College of Pharmacy (all)

Thursday, May 7

1-1:30 p.m. EDT

• College of Health Sciences (all)
• College of Design (all)

3-3:30 p.m. EDT

• College of Education (all)

Friday, May 8

1-1:30 p.m. EDT

• College of Communication and Information (all)

3-3:30 p.m. EDT

• College of Engineering, Part 1 (doctoral degrees, graduate certificates, masters degrees, and BS degrees in mining engineering, biosystems engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering and materials engineering)

Saturday, May 9

1-1:30 p.m. EDT

• College of Engineering, Part 2 (BS degrees in mechanical engineering and mining engineering)
• College of Medicine, Part 2
• College of Nursing (all)
• Additional graduates from the following colleges: College of Agriculture, Food and Environment; College of Public Health; College of Law; College of Fine Arts; College of Education; College of Communication and Information; College of Arts and Sciences; Gatton College of Business and Economics

3-4 p.m.

• Student Government President Michael Hamilton
• UK President Eli Capilouto
• College of Public Health (all)
• College of Social Work (all)