Figures offer sneak peek at circumstances behind pomp of UCI’s 50th graduation celebration
By Jennifer Jopson, UC Irvine
Anthropology graduate Jessica Renteria performs a double-handed "Zot!" salute onstage during the School of Social Sciences’ 2015 commencement on Friday, June 12.
Steve Zylius / UC Irvine
UC Irvine’s 2015 commencement season for undergraduates concluded Monday, June 15, with The Paul Merage School of Business undergraduate ceremony. Nine other events were held over the weekend in the Bren Events Center. This year’s commencement is UCI’s 50th. At the first, 14 diplomas were handed out. The campus has grown quite a bit since, and faculty, staff and volunteers worked feverishly to make sure the 2015 festivities went off without a hitch. Here are some of the logistical facts and figures:
50,000: Estimated guests attending
21,171: Estimated photos of graduates during ceremonies
18,000: Estimated cars parked over three days
8,000: Programs distributed
7,057: Students who will walk
5,000+: Hits expected on commencement website
1,880: Social sciences graduates
1,063: Social ecology graduates
770: Biological sciences graduates
676: Engineering graduates
613: Humanities graduates
578: Public health graduates
406: Information & computer sciences graduates
362: Physical sciences graduates
244: Arts graduates
159: Pharmaceutical sciences graduates
150: Parking attendants
130: Volunteers
128: Business graduates
122: Education graduates
93: Future doctors graduating from the School of Medicine
42: Nursing science graduates
14: Graduates at UCI’s first commencement, in 1966
12: Peter the Anteater appearances at commencement ceremonies
10: Speakers at commencement ceremonies (including Henry Samueli, chief technical officer and chairman of the board at Broadcom Corp. and Anaheim Ducks owner; and Greg Louganis ’83, four-time Olympic diving champion and UCI alumnus)
6: Average number of seconds it takes to walk across a commencement stage
5: Countries in which the most friends and family members are expected to watch the live Web stream – U.S., India, Canada, United Kingdom and Japan
5: Length in feet of the UCI Mace carried in all graduation exercises and student convocations since the UCI Alumni Association presented it to the university in 2000
5: Years spent on reporting, writing, photography, layout and printing of the 50th anniversary book
1: Senior class gift of additional 3-D printers, a 3-D scanner and related tools for the Francisco J. Ayala Science Library
Drama grad Avi Wilk hugs a fellow graduate at the end of commencement Saturday, June 13. There were 244 arts graduates this year.
Greg Andersen / UC IrvineInternational studies major Arit Akpan waves to supporters as grads file into the Bren Events Center for the social sciences commencement.
Steve Zylius / UC IrvineDancers perform during the combined commencement ceremony for the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, the School of Education and the School of Physical Sciences on Saturday, June 13, in the Bren Events Center.
Greg Andersen / UC IrvineThe combined commencement ceremony for the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, the School of Education and the School of Physical Sciences gets underway Saturday, June 13, at the Bren Events Center. There were 122 education graduates this year.
Greg Andersen / UC IrvineChancellor Howard Gillman high fives newly-minted grads after social sciences commencement.
Steve Zylius / UC irvineCivil & environmental engineering grad Phillip Johnson records commencement for family and friends unable to attend. There were 676 engineering grads this year.
Steve Zylius / UC IrvineEngineering graduates exult at the conclusion of their June 12 commencement, which featured Henry Samueli, co-founder, chief technical officer and chairman of the board at Broadcom Corp. and owner of the Anaheim Ducks.
Steve Zylius / UC IrvineOlympic diving champion and UCI alum Greg Louganis addresses graduates at Sunday’s commencement ceremony for the Francisco J. Ayala School of Biological Sciences.
Greg Andersen / UC IrvineCivil & environmental engineering grads Cesar Carrillo (left) and Bryan Elenes do a chest bump onstage during The Henry Samueli School of Engineering’s 2015 commencement.
Steve Zylius / UC IrvineAnthropology graduate Jessica Renteria performs a double-handed “Zot!” salute onstage during the School of Social Sciences’ 2015 commencement on Friday, June 12.
Steve Zylius / UC IrvineGraduates from the Francisco J. Ayala School of Biological Sciences pose for photos outside the Bren Events Center before Sunday’s commencement ceremony.
Greg Andersen / UC IrvineGrads cheer during commencement for the School of Social Sciences.
Jocelyn Lee / UC IrvineMusic performance grad Monique Essex returns to her seat during Saturday’s combined commencement ceremony for the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, the School of Education and the School of Physical Sciences.
Greg Andersen / UC IrvineFamily and friends cheer as social sciences graduates enter the Bren Events Center for commencement on Friday, June 12. There were 1,880 social sciences grads this year.
Jocelyn Lee / UC IrvineGrads give one last ”Zot!” as Saturday’s commencement ceremony for the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, the School of Education and the School of Physical Sciences concludes.
Greg Andersen / UC IrvineSocial policy & public service grad Anthony Pham poses for a picture atop the anteater statue after commencement Friday for the School of Social Sciences.
Jocelyn Lee / UC IrvineA grad utilizes a selfie stick during the School of Social Sciences commencement.
Jocelyn Lee / UC IrvineBiological sciences grads line up before commencement Sunday, June 14, at the Bren Events Center. There were 770 biological sciences graduates this year.
Greg Andersen / UC IrvineBiological sciences grad Joshua Daniel points to the crowd as he steps off the stage during commencement Sunday at the Bren Events Center.
Greg Andersen / UC IrvineChemistry grad Hannah Bui celebrates onstage during Saturday’s combined commencement ceremony for the School of Physical Sciences, the Claire Trevor School of the Arts and the School of Education. There were 362 physical sciences graduates this year.
Greg Andersen / UC Irvine
