June 10, 2013

Commencement 2013: By the numbers

Figures offer sneak peek at circumstances behind pomp

UC Irvine’s 2013 commencement season wrapped up Sunday when graduates of the Claire Trevor School of the Arts and the School of Physical Sciences gave a spirited Zot and accepted diplomas in the Bren Events Center. In all, 12 ceremonies celebrated law school and medical school graduates, doctoral and MFA graduates, and master’s and bachelor’s degree recipients.

Behind the scenes, faculty, staff and volunteers worked feverishly to make sure it all went off without a hitch. Here are some of the logistical facts and figures:

45,000: Hits expected on commencement website in the final week (Top subjects, in order, are Web stream, ceremonies and directions/parking.)
36,000: Estimated guests attending
8,662: Students who will walk
7,371: Cars to be parked per day between June 14 and 16 (if last year’s numbers are any guide)
1,968: Social sciences graduates, the largest school cohort
933: Social ecology graduates
930: Biological sciences graduates
709: Humanities graduates
571: Engineering graduates
366: Public health graduates
300: Cities from which people are expected to watch the live Web stream
297: Physical sciences graduates
274: Arts graduates
230: Business graduates (only the second undergraduate business cohort)
216: Information & computer sciences graduates
60: Traffic directors and pedestrian control staff being deployed
51: Nursing graduates
45: Pharmacology graduates, representing a 150 percent jump from last year
33: Countries from which visitors are expected to watch the live Web stream (After the U.S., the top nation is India; others include Hong Kong, Mexico, Argentina, Germany and Italy.)
17: Anticipated cases of assistance rendered to drivers for lockouts, jump-starts, flat tires and gas
12: Times the national anthem will be sung
7: Featured speakers, including UCI alums Kim Sentovich, a senior vice president at Wal-Mart Stores Inc., and Ha Nhu Nguyen, chief of staff in the Transportation Security Administration’s Office of Global Strategies
3: Average minutes it takes performers to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner”
3: Pairs of official greeters at each ceremony (The team approach mitigates handshake fatigue.)
1: Soon-to-be-retrofitted Student Center Terrace Stage, thanks to a $15,000 fundraising effort by the class of 2013 (The class gift will turn the stage into an outdoor event and concert space with built-in sound and lighting.)
Countless: Hugs and photos

: New graduate Seewing Yee Jr. celebrates atop the anteater sculpture in front of the Bren Events Center. Steve Zylius / University Communications

: Social ecology graduates celebrate onstage during commencement. Steve Zylius / University Communications

: School of Social Ecology grads (from left) Selenna Bolanos, Jasmine Edmond, Evan Cortes and Claire Ghazal chat while lined up before the ceremony. Steve Zylius / University Communications

: Graduate Michelle Propst walks down the center aisle during commencement at the Bren Events Center. Steve Zylius / University Communications

: A graduate uses her mortarboard to express appreciation of her parents. Steve Zylius / University Communications

: Parents, graduates and friends try to find each other in the crush of people outside the Bren Events Center after the School of Social Ecology commencement. Steve Zylius / University Communications

: A student exults at the School of Social Ecology commencement ceremony Friday, June 14. Steve Zylius / University Communications

: Valdomero Reyes Alvarado sports a new haircut at the School of Social Ecology commencement. Steve Zylius / University Communications

: Basketball standout Michael ”The ’Fro” Wilder gives the ”Zot!” salute from the stage during the School of Social Ecology commencement Friday, June 14. Steve Zylius / University Communications

: Social ecology graduate Eliza Pena helps a classmate with her mortarboard prior to commencement. Steve Zylius / University Communications

: Grad Chris Tran awaits the start of commencement for the School of Social Ecology. Steve Zylius / University Communications

: Graduates file down the tunnel entrance into the Bren Events Center at the start of the ceremony. Steve Zylius / University Communications

: Social ecology graduates wait for their names to be called. Steve Zylius / University Communications