Each commencement ceremony will conclude with a dean-led chant of “Zot! Zot! Zot!” as part of a contest for the best display of Anteater spirit. The School of Biological Sciences won in 2011, and the School of Social Ecology took the award in 2010.

UC Irvine’s 47th annual commencement will honor the inaugural class of undergraduate business majors – a highly select group of 90 students admitted from among 4,800 applicants – and the first graduates of the Cal Teach program, in which students simultaneously earn a bachelor’s degree in math or science and a teaching credential. This speeds the progress of much-needed educators in these subjects.

All ceremonies will take place in the Bren Events Center (bldg. 901, grid D6 on campus map).

Friday, June 15

  • 9 a.m.: The Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Sciences, featuring guest speaker Matthew Ganz, vice president and general manager of Boeing Research & Technology
  • 1 p.m.: School of Social Sciences I, featuring student speaker Brenda Ayon Verduzco
  • 4:30 p.m.: School of Social Sciences II, featuring student speaker Alina Sookasian

   Saturday, June 16

  • 11 a.m.: Department of Education, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Program in Public Health, featuring guest speaker Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana, superintendent of the Santa Ana Unified School District
  • 2:30 p.m.: School of Biological Sciences, featuring faculty speaker Francisco Ayala, University Professor and Donald Bren Professor of Biological Sciences
  • 6 p.m.: Claire Trevor School of the Arts and School of Physical Sciences, featuring guest speaker Sandra Tsing Loh, performance artist and NPR science and lifestyle commentator

  Sunday, June 17

  • 9 a.m.: The Paul Merage School of Business, featuring guest speaker Chris White, vice president of global sales at Cisco Systems Inc.
  • 12:30 p.m.: School of Humanities, featuring guest speaker Erin Gruwell ’91, founder of the Freedom Writers Foundation
  • 4 p.m.: School of Social Ecology, featuring guest speaker Sandra Hutchens, Orange County sheriff