University of Chicago to celebrate Convocation weekend on June 14-15

Ceremonies for graduates to include Class Day and University-wide Convocation

On June 14-15, the University of Chicago will celebrate Convocation weekend, the annual “calling together” of the University community and its graduating students.

The festivities will kick off at 2 p.m. Friday with Class Day, a celebration that will include an address from Emmy-winning journalist Rebecca Jarvis, AB’03; speeches by graduating students Mary Blair, Katrina Lee and Anna Li; as well as the presentation of College awards. 

The University-wide Convocation ceremony will begin at 9:15 a.m. Saturday with a procession of graduating students into the Main Quadrangles. President Robert J. Zimmer will verbally confer a total of 5,353 degrees to candidates. Later in the day, the College and graduate divisions and schools will hold individual diploma ceremonies.

This year’s Convocation speaker is Luigi Zingales, the Robert C. McCormack Distinguished Service Professor of Entrepreneurship and Finance at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. His research spans from corporate governance to financial development, from political economy to the economic effects of culture. 

For those unable to attend, the Class Day and Convocation ceremonies will be webcast on UChicago News and Facebook Live. Follow the weekend’s events on social media using #uchicago2019.

Awards and medals

On Saturday, the University will award honorary degrees to David Charbonneau, a renowned astronomer who studies the planets that orbit other stars; Pierre-Louis Lions, one of the world’s most prominent experts on the theory of nonlinear partial differential equations; and Amy Richlin, a path-breaking historian of the Roman empire. Jennifer A. Doudna, an internationally renowned biochemist who helped pioneer gene-editing technology, will receive her honorary degree in June 2021.

The University of Chicago will award the Rosenberger Medal to pioneering artist Jenny Holzer “whose unique text-based work is ambitious, relevant and influential.”

The University also will recognize faculty members for excellence in teaching with presentations of the Llewellyn John and Harriet Manchester Quantrell Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

Event logistics

Information about the weekend’s events, as well as details on transportation, parking and accommodations can be found on the Convocation website. Convocation shuttles can be tracked at uchicago.transloc.com. Attendees and community members are advised that there will be increased traffic and road closures during this time.

Tickets are not required for the main ceremonies, although they may be required for individual division and school ceremonies. General seating for Convocation will open at 7 a.m. and is available on a first-come basis.

Please note that all bags are subject to inspection before entering the Main Quadrangles. Items that may disrupt other guests from seeing or hearing the ceremony are not permitted inside the Quadrangles.