Michigan State University will host commencement ceremonies for more than 9,500 graduates across baccalaureate, master’s, doctoral and professional programs at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center and the Wharton Center for Performing Arts beginning Thursday, May 4.

“This semester’s graduates have achieved excellence through great resilience and a world-class Michigan State education,” said Interim President Teresa K. Woodruff, Ph.D. “Core to MSU is our ability to foster the next generation of leaders and innovators through highly ranked programs and co-curricular opportunities that deepen the educational experiences of our students. MSU’s spring 2023 graduating class possesses the ability to shape a new era for life-changing discoveries, life-saving technologies and impactful public policy to create a better tomorrow for us all. I look forward to seeing how these Spartans will change the world alongside their fellow Spartan alums.”   

Undergraduate degree ceremony
The undergraduate convocation will take place at 1 p.m. on Friday, May 5. Students will hear from MSU economist and professor Lisa Cook, a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.

This semester, the 6,978 bachelor’s degree candidates represent 77 Michigan counties, 44 states and 59 countries. Among those, 10 U.S. veterans will be graduating this weekend. The age range for this year’s graduating class ranges from 19 to 53 years of age. Additionally, 792 graduating seniors are members of the Honors College.

For the second consecutive year, MSU has a record-breaking number of students achieving the highest scholastic average — a 4.0 GPA. A total of 206 undergraduate seniors received the Board of Trustees Award for their academic excellence. They were recognized during the board’s April meeting and will also receive recognition at their individual college ceremonies.

Master’s degree ceremony
The master’s degree commencement ceremony will celebrate the accomplishments of 1,362 degree candidates at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 5. Students will hear from Jill Hruby, undersecretary for nuclear security in the U.S. Department of Energy and administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration.

The class represents 64 Michigan counties, 48 states, 46 countries and an age range of 20 to 77 years of age. Eleven U.S. veterans will receive master’s degrees this year.

Doctoral degree ceremony
The doctoral degree commencement ceremony will take place at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, May 5. The 466 candidates will be welcomed by Anthony Fauci, former chief medical adviser to the president and past director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. This class represents 30 Michigan counties, 39 states, 42 countries and graduates range from 25 to 68 years of age.

In addition to doctoral degree recipients, 762 professional degree candidates from the Colleges of Veterinary Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine, Human Medicine and Law also will be recognized at their individual college ceremonies.

Ceremony details
Biographies of the speakers and honorary degree recipients can be found on MSUToday. Individual colleges will host their own commencement ceremonies over the weekend.

A schedule can be found on the commencement website. All ceremonies will be livestreamed. 

Twitter users are invited to follow all ceremonies using #SpartanGrad23. 

For the safety of attendees, no bags or purses will be allowed in Breslin Center or the Wharton Center for commencement ceremonies. Cameras and camcorders are permitted, but cases are prohibited. No food or beverages — including bottled water — will be allowed, and this applies to graduates, guests and faculty. Both facilities will offer a limited concessions menu during the ceremonies. Additional prohibited items include noisemakers, selfie sticks, pets, signs and weapons of any form.  

Guest parking
Parking at the Breslin Center is limited, so the public is encouraged to use the free shuttle service. Metal detectors will screen all attendees at both facilities, so please plan accordingly.