Watch here: The UK December 2022 Commencement Ceremonies
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 16, 2022) — Today, the University of Kentucky will celebrate its newest alumni at the December 2022 UK Commencement Ceremonies. All ceremonies will be livestreamed here on UKNow, via the university's YouTube channel. Approximately 1,200 graduates will participate in the Commencement Ceremonies.
Overall, the UK Board of Trustees approved the conferral of 2,037 degrees at its meeting this week, including 1,415 undergraduate, 606 graduate and 16 professional degree candidates for December 2022.*
The ceremony schedule is as follows:
10 a.m. ceremony
- College of Agriculture, Food and Environment
- College of Education
- College of Engineering
- College of Fine Arts
- College of Medicine
- College of Pharmacy
- College of Public Health
- College of Social Work
- Martin School of Public Policy and Administration
- Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce
3 p.m. ceremony
- College of Arts and Sciences
- College of Communication and Information
- College of Design
- College of Health Sciences
- College of Nursing
- Gatton College of Business and Economics
Following each ceremony, the UK Alumni Association will host receptions for the graduates and their families in the second floor meeting rooms at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Graduates are encouraged to come and enjoy free refreshments, photo opportunities gifts and prizes. More here.
Honorary Degrees
The Board of Trustees has approved honorary degrees for two citizens who have distinguished themselves in their careers and community service. The recipients are Virginia Marsh Bell and Nikky Finney.
Honorary degrees will be presented at the following ceremonies:
- Virginia Marsh Bell: 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 16
- Nikky Finney: 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16
Read more about the December 2022 honorary degree recipients.
Student Speakers
Two student representatives have been selected by UK President Eli Capilouto to address the audiences at their respective ceremony.
- Alyssa Hargis, from Milford, Ohio, who will speak at the 10 a.m. ceremony. She is graduating with dual bachelor’s degrees in public health and environmental and sustainability studies, and is also a member of the Lewis Honors College.
- Princess Valencia, from Georgetown, Kentucky, who is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in English from the UK College of Arts and Sciences.
Full video of each ceremony will be available within two weeks 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 www.uky.edu/commencement.
*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.
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.