Ceremony Archives and Recordings

Winter 2025

Speakers

• Grace Vanderhei ’23, Keynote Speaker – Video
• Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin – Video
• Jeeva Premkumar ’25, Student Speaker – Video

Program

• Sunday, December 14, 2025 program
• Degree candidate names for winter 2025

Streaming video

• Sunday, December 14, 2025 (full ceremony)

Spring 2025

Speakers

• Jason Gay ’92, Keynote Speaker  – Video
• Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin – Video
• Sam Mahlum, Student Speaker – Video
• Donna Shalala, Phd, Honorary Degree Recipient Remarks – Video
• Jim Sensenbrenner, JD, Honorary Degree Recipient Remarks – Video

Program

• Friday, May 9, 2025 and Saturday, May 10, 2025 program
• Friday, May 9, 2025 and Saturday, May 10, 2025 program (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• Friday, May 9, 2025 (full ceremony)
• Saturday, May 10, 2025 (full ceremony)

Winter 2024

Speakers

• Dan Jacobs, Keynote Speaker – Video
• Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin – Video
• Sawyer Getschman, Student Speaker – Video

Program

• Sunday, December 15, 2024 program
• Sunday, December 15, 2024 program (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• Sunday, December 15, 2024 (full ceremony)

Spring 2024

Speakers

• Meghan Duggan ‘11, Keynote Speaker  – Video
• Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin – Video
• Gracie Nelson, Student Speaker – Video
• Reverend Dr. Alexander Gee Jr. ’85, Honorary Degree Recipient – Video

 Program

• Friday, May 10, 2024 and Saturday, May 11, 2024 program (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• Friday, May 10, 2024 (full ceremony)
• Saturday, May 11, 2024 (full ceremony)

Winter 2023

Speakers

• Michael Finley ‘14 – Video
• Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin – Video
• Jnae A. Thompson, Student Speaker – Video

 Program

• Sunday, December 17, 2023 program (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• Sunday, December 17, 2023 (full ceremony)

Spring 2023

Speakers

• Eric H. Holder Jr.  – Video
• Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin – Video
• Liam McLean, Student Speaker – Video
• Sydney Bobb & Faith Ocoko, Student Speakers – Video
• Cecil Garvin, Honorary Degree Recipient – Video

 Program

• Friday, May 12, 2023 and Saturday, May 13, 2023 program (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• Friday, May 12, 2023 (full ceremony)
• Saturday, May 13, 2023 (full ceremony)

Spring 2022

Speakers

• Linda Thomas-Greenfield, ’75  – Video
• Chancellor Rebecca Blank – Video
• Barni Shiferaw, Student Speaker – Video

 Programs

• Friday, May 13, 2022 program (Archived PDF)
• Saturday, May 14, 2022 program (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

•  Friday, May 13, 2022 (full ceremony)
• Saturday, May 14, 2022 (full ceremony)

Winter 2022

Speakers

• Charlie Berens, ’09 – Video
• Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin – Video
• Kirstan Gimse, Student Speaker – Video

 Program

• Sunday, December 18, 2022 program (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

•  Sunday, December 19, 2021 (full ceremony)

Class of 2020 Graduate Celebration

Held on Saturday, September 18, 2021 at 2:00 p.m., Camp Randall Stadium

Speakers

• Pat Connaughton, Keynote Speaker – Video
• Chancellor Rebecca Blank – Video
• CJ Zabat, Class 0f 2020 Speaker – Video

Streaming video

• Saturday, September 18, 2021, 2pm – Class of 2020 Graduate Celebration (full ceremony) 

 Program

• Class of 2020 Graduate Celebration Program (Archived PDF)
• 2020 Graduate List of Names (Archived PDF)

Winter 2021

Speakers

• Manu Raju – Video
• Chancellor Rebecca Blank – Video
• Jai Khanna, Student Speaker – Video

 Program

• Sunday, December 19, 2021 program (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• Sunday, December 19, 2021 (full ceremony)

Spring 2021

Saturday, May 8, 2021

Bachelor’s Degree Candidate Ceremony, Noon

Speakers

• André De Shields, ’70 – Video
• Chancellor Rebecca Blank – Video
• Lusayo Mwakatika, Student Speaker – Video

Streaming video

• Saturday, May 8, 2021, Noon – Bachelor’s Degree Ceremony (full ceremony)

Saturday, May 8, 2021

Graduate Degree Ceremony, 4p.m.

Speakers

• Dr. John Gottman – Video
• Chancellor Rebecca Blank – Video

Streaming video

• Saturday, May 8, 2021, 4 p.m. – Graduate Degree Ceremony (full ceremony)

 Program (same for both ceremonies)

• Friday, May 8, 2021 program (Archived PDF) – Bachelor’s & Graduate Degree Ceremony

Winter 2020 (Virtual)

Speakers

• Rose Lavelle – Video
• Chancellor Rebecca Blank – Video
• Sven Kleinhans, Student Speaker – Video
• John Felder, Alumni Speaker – Video 

 Program

•  2020 Winter Commencement Program (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• 2020 Winter Commencement Virtual Ceremony Video

Spring 2020 (Virtual)

Speakers

• James Patterson – Video
• Chancellor Rebecca Blank – Video
• Lauren Sorensen, Student Speaker – Video

 Program

•  2020 Spring Commencement Program (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• 2020 Spring Commencement Virtual Ceremony Video (full ceremony)

Winter 2019

Speakers

• Jason Gay – Video
• Chancellor Rebecca Blank – Video
• Lisa Kamal, Student Speaker – Video

 Program

• Sunday, December 15, 2019 program (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• Sunday, December 15, 2019 (full ceremony)

Spring 2019

Speakers

• J.J. Watt – Video
• Chancellor Rebecca Blank – Video
• Ron Steinhoff, Student Speaker – Video

 Programs

• Friday, May 10, 2019 program (Archived PDF)
• Saturday, May 11, 2019 program (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• Friday, May 10, 2019 (full ceremony)
• Saturday, May 11, 2019 (full ceremony)

Winter 2018

Speakers

• Commissioner Emeritus, Allan “Bud” Selig – Video
• Chancellor Rebecca Blank – Video
• Jamie Dawson, Student Speaker – Video

Program

• Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018 program (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• Sunday, December 16, 2018 (full ceremony)

Spring 2018

Speakers

• David Muir – Video
• Chancellor Rebecca Blank – Video

 Programs

• Friday, May 11, 2018 program (Archived PDF)
• Saturday, May 12, 2018 program (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• Friday, May 11, 2018 (full ceremony)
• Saturday, May 12, 2018 (full ceremony)

Winter 2017

Speakers

• Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis – Video
• Chancellor Rebecca Blank – Video
• Jada Kline, Student Speaker – Video

Program

• Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017 program (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• Sunday, December 17, 2017 (full ceremony)

Spring 2017

Speakers

• Steven Levitan – Video
• Chancellor Rebecca Blank – Video

Programs

• Friday, May 12, 2017 program (Archived PDF)
• Saturday, May 13, 2017 program (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• Friday, May 12, 2017 (full ceremony)
• Saturday, May 13, 2017 (full ceremony)

Photos

• Friday ceremony photos
• Saturday ceremony photos

Winter 2016

Speakers

• Capt. James A. Lovell – Video
• Chancellor Rebecca Blank – Video
• Terrence Thurk, Student Speaker – Video

Programs

• Sunday, December 18, 2016 program (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• Sunday, December 18, 2016 (full ceremony)

Spring 2016

Speakers

• Russell Wilson – Video
• Chancellor Rebecca Blank – Video

Programs

• Friday, May 13, 2016 program (Archived PDF)
• Saturday, May 14, 2016 (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• Friday, May 13, 2016 (full ceremony)
• Saturday, May 14, 2016 (full ceremony)

Multimedia

• Photo slideshow

Winter 2015

Speakers

• Chancellor Rebecca Blank – Video
• Zoe Timm – Video
• Student Leah Fraleigh – Video

Program

• Winter 2015 (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015 (full ceremony)

Spring 2015

Speakers

• Katie Couric – Video
• Chancellor Rebecca Blank – Video

Programs

• Friday, May 15, 2015 program (Archived PDF)
• Saturday, May 16, 2015 (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• Friday, May 15, 2015 (full ceremony)
• Saturday, May 16, 2015 (full ceremony)

Winter 2014

Speakers

• Provost Sarah Mangelsdorf – Video
• Ben Deutsch – Video

Program

• Commencement Program Winter 2014 (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• Sunday, Dec. 21, 2014 (full ceremony)

Spring 2014

Speakers

• Chancellor Rebecca M. Blank — Video
• Jon Huntsman — Video

Program

• Commencement Program (Archived PDF)

Streaming video

• Friday, May 16 (Kohl Center ceremony) – currently unavailable
• Saturday, May 17 (Camp Randall Stadium ceremony) – currently unavailable

For a selection of commencement videos before 2014, please visit the University’s YouTube channel for a curated playlist of videos

Browse historical record of UW Commencement speakers