AUSTIN, Texas — Darren Walker, a Texas Ex and president of the Ford Foundation, will deliver the keynote address during the 2015 spring commencement ceremony at The University of Texas at Austin on May 23.
The ceremony, which celebrates the graduation of about 8,800 students this spring, will begin with a carillon prelude at 7 p.m. and end with a fireworks display and the singing of “The Eyes of Texas.”
Convocations at the university’s colleges, schools and departments recognize students individually. The convocation speakers for these ceremonies are listed below. A map for navigating campus and related information about construction and road closures during commencement weekend are available at:
http://www.events.utexas.edu/commencement/spring
Friday, May 22, 2015
8 a.m. — McCombs School of Business (ceremony for undergraduate students), Frank Erwin Center. Speaker: George Gau, former dean of the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin.
8:30 a.m. — Department of Government, College of Liberal Arts, Gregory Gymnasium. Speaker: Pete Gallego, former U.S. representative for Texas’ 23rd congressional district and former member of the Texas House of Representatives.
8:30 a.m. — College of Pharmacy, Bass Concert Hall, Texas Performing Arts. Speaker: Debra B. Garza, divisional vice president-government and community relations, Walgreens Company.
10 a.m. — Department of History, College of Liberal Arts, Hogg Memorial Auditorium. Speaker: Josiah Daniel, partner in the international law firm Vinson & Elkins LLP. Note: Tickets are required.
11:30 a.m. — College of Liberal Arts, Frank Erwin Center. Speaker: Karen Katz, president and chief executive officer, Neiman Marcus Group.
Noon — McCombs School of Business, Master of Science in Finance (MSF), Student Activity Center Auditorium (1.402). Speaker: William C. Montgomery, managing director, Quantum Energy Partners.
Noon — College of Education, Gregory Gymnasium. Speaker: Melissa Chavez, associate vice president for the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at The University of Texas at Austin.
Noon — School of Nursing, Bass Concert Hall, Texas Performing Arts. Speaker: Gaurdia E. Banister, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, adjunct professor in the School of Nursing at the Institute of Health Professions and executive director of the Institute for Patient Care at Massachusetts General Hospital.
3 p.m. — College of Fine Arts, Bass Concert Hall, Texas Performing Arts. Speaker: Hy Hetherington, chief executive officer and managing partner of HLP Integration.
3 p.m. — Joint ROTC Commissioning Ceremony, Bates Recital Hall, Music Building, Texas Performing Arts. Speaker: Maj. Gen. Kenneth Wisian, assistant adjutant general-air, Texas National Guard and commander, headquarters, Texas Air National Guard at Camp Mabry.
3:30 p.m. — McCombs School of Business, Master in Professional Accounting (MPA), Gregory Gymnasium. Speaker: Kathleen Farlow, Central Texas managing partner at Deloitte.
3:30 p.m. — McCombs School of Business, Information Risk and Operations Management, Student Activity Center Auditorium (1.402). Speaker: Jonathan Trichel, principal at Deloitte Consulting LLP and member of the Deloitte United States Board Council.
6 p.m. — Moody College of Communication, Frank Erwin Center. Speaker: Ross Moody, president and chief operating officer, National Western Life Insurance.
6 p.m. — McCombs School of Business, Master of Business Administration (MBA) recognition ceremony, Gregory Gymnasium. Speaker: J. Ray Nixon Jr., executive director and equity portfolio manager at Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss.
7 p.m. — Department of English, College of Liberal Arts, Bass Concert Hall, Texas Performing Arts. Speaker: Kirk E. Lynn, assistant professor in Theatre and Dance at The University of Texas at Austin and one of the founders of the Rude Mechanicals Theatre Company in Austin.
7 p.m. — Cockrell School of Engineering, Frank Erwin Center. Speaker: Sergio M. Alcocer, undersecretary for North American affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Mexico and president of the Academy of Engineering in Mexico.
Saturday, May 23, 2015
8 a.m. — College of Natural Sciences (Ceremony I), Biochemistry, Biology, Molecular Biosciences, Marine Biology, Neuroscience, Public Health, Frank Erwin Center. Speaker: Beth Burnside, vice chancellor for research, emerita; professor of molecular and cellular biology, emerita, at the University of California, Berkeley.
9 a.m. — Department of Economics, College of Liberal Arts, Gregory Gymnasium. Speaker: Brandon Freeman, owner and president of Freeman Group, a private investment and asset management firm in Dallas.
9 a.m. — Graduate School (master’s), Bass Concert Hall, Texas Performing Arts. Speaker: Roderick Hart, dean of the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin.
9 a.m. — Plan II Honors Program, College of Liberal Arts, Hogg Memorial Auditorium. Speaker: Robert Draper, contributing writer to National Geographic and New York Times magazine. Note: Tickets are required.
10 a.m. — Center for Mexican American Studies, College of Liberal Arts, Student Activity Center Auditorium (1.402). Speaker: Charles “Charlie” Gonzalez, an attorney and former U.S. representative for Texas’ 20th congressional district.
11 a.m. — Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, LBJ Auditorium. Speaker: Ruth Simmons, former Brown University president (2001-2012).
Noon — College of Natural Sciences (Ceremony 2), Astronomy, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Frank Erwin Center. Speaker: Beth Burnside, vice chancellor for research, emerita; professor of molecular and cell biology, emerita, at the University of California, Berkeley.
Noon — Graduate School (doctor’s degrees), Bass Concert Hall, Texas Performing Arts. Speaker: Roderick Hart, dean of the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin.
Noon — McCombs School of Business, Master of Science in Technology Commercialization (MSTC), AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center, Salon C. Speaker: Brett Hurt, co-founder and vice chairman of the board of directors of Bazaarvoice.
12:30 p.m. — Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, Gregory Gymnasium. Speaker: Art Markman, professor of psychology and marketing at The University of Texas at Austin.
3 p.m. — School of Architecture, Hogg Memorial Auditorium. Speaker: John Henneberger, advocate for affordable housing in Austin.
3 p.m. — Jackson School of Geosciences, Bates Recital Hall, Music Building, Texas Performing Arts. Speaker: Pam Darwin, vice president, Africa for ExxonMobil Exploration Company in Houston.
3 p.m. — School of Social Work, Bass Concert Hall, Texas Performing Arts. Speakers: Travis Kent Singley, MSSW, and David Alexander Sands, BSW, members of the 2015 graduating class of the School of Social Work.
3:30 p.m. — School of Human Ecology, College of Natural Sciences, Gregory Gymnasium. Speaker: Cathy Surra, professor of human development and family studies, Penn State Harrisburg, and director of the School of Behavioral Sciences and Education.
3:30 p.m. — School of Law, Frank Erwin Center. Speaker: Nathan L. Hecht, chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court.
4 p.m. — School of Information, AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center Amphitheatre. Speaker: Robert “Bob” Walton, vice president for finance and administration, Vassar College.
