Michigan State University will host commencement ceremonies this weekend at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center on the corner of Harrison Road and Kalamazoo Street.
There are 5,414 undergraduate degree candidates and 2,448 advanced degree candidates. The College of Social Science has the most undergraduate degree candidates with 936.
Undergraduate convocation will be held at 1 p.m. Friday. Mona Hanna-Attisha, assistant professor of pediatrics at MSU’s College of Human Medicine and director of the pediatric residency program at Hurley Children’s Hospital in Flint, will deliver the commencement address. She will receive an honorary doctorate of science.
Also at that ceremony, Kristina Ford, senior research fellow at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, will receive an honorary doctorate of humanities.
The advanced degree ceremony will be held at 3:30 p.m. Friday with Ellen Williams, director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency, addressing graduates. She will earn an honorary doctorate of science. In addition, Donald Maine, chancellor emeritus of Davenport University, will receive an honorary doctorate of humanities.
Bios of speakers and honorary degree recipients may be found on MSUToday.
Convocation will be streamed live by WKAR-TV online. It will also be carried live on MSU campus channel 18.1.
The convocation will be available for on-demand viewing beginning Saturday at video.wkar.org and on TV streaming devices using the PBS App set to local station WKAR.
Twitter users are invited to use #MSUgrad16 to follow both ceremonies.
In honor of commencement, throughout the week MSU has been displaying whiteboards across campus spelling out the word "TOMORROW," encouraging Spartans to share their dreams for creating a better tomorrow. Students have shared goals such as, “educate young minds,” “fight mental illness” and “provide clean drinking water to underdeveloped communities around the world.” The boards will be displayed outside Breslin Center this weekend. Twitter users can use #MSUTomorrow to follow along.
Consistent with Breslin Center policy, all bags will be subject to search. No food or beverages – including bottled water – will be allowed into Breslin Center, and this applies to graduates, guests and faculty participating in the ceremonies. As such, Breslin will offer a limited menu of concessions for sale one hour prior to the start of ceremonies and during the first hour of ceremonies.
Additional prohibited items include large cameras, recording devices, noisemakers, sticks, pets, signs or weapons of any form. Smoking also is prohibited at the Breslin Center.
Media Parking
Parking passes for media are available from 9 a.m. Thursday to noon Friday at the Media Communications Office, 408 W. Circle Drive, Room 403, Olds Hall.
Media parking is available in the west side of Lot 63 off Harrison Road, immediately south of the Breslin Center. Media must obtain a parking pass from Media Communications. This pass must be displayed to enter the lot.
Breslin Center Entry
Media must wear identification and should enter through the ticket entrance on the east side of the building. Media will be accommodated on Platform 111.