June 21, 2023

Tassel time!

Over 8,200 Class of 2023 members participate in commencement ceremonies

By Tom Vasich

Graduates from The Henry Samueli School of Engineering celebrate at the 2023 commencement in the Bren Center Friday. Steve Zylius/UCI

More than 8,200 students and their families participated in 11 festive commencement ceremonies between Friday, June 16, and Tuesday, June 20, in the campus’s Bren Events Center.

Overall, UCI granted 8,966 degrees to 8,507 undergraduates this academic year. Additionally, 1,815 master’s degrees and 393 doctoral degrees were awarded. And in a testament to the school’s dedication to access and affordability, 46 percent of those receiving bachelor’s degrees are first-generation college students.

“This graduating class highlights how well UCI is serving the people of our state by offering a world-class education to the best and brightest students, regardless of their financial circumstances, and acting as a powerful engine of upward economic mobility,” says UCI Chancellor Howard Gillman.

Full of pomp, regalia and inspiring words, each commencement ceremony sees the Bren Event Center fill with thousands of students, family and friends. UCI photographer Steve Zylius captured the joy and celebrations in the following slideshow. Enjoy.

UCI schools of humanities and social ecology celebrate their 2023 commencement in the Bren Center. (Photo: Steve Zylius/UCI)

The Paul Merage School of Business celebrates its 2023 commencement in the Bren Center. (Photo: Steve Zylius/UCI)

ICS grad student Jazette Johnson receives her hood in the 2023 hooding ceremony. (Photo: Steve Zylius/UCI)

Nursing grad student Philip Amante is hooded by professor Tiffany Nielsen. (Photo: Steve Zylius/UCI)

Grad students are hooded by faculty in the 2023 hooding ceremony. (Photo: Steve Zylius/UCI)

Lauren Elizabeth Lees receives her hood in the 2023 hooding ceremony. (Photo: Steve Zylius/UCI)

Celebrations from 2023 UCI commencement.

Lisa Allin dances across the stage during the grad hooding ceremony in the Bren Center. (Photo: Steve Zylius/UCI)

Arts grad student Corey Marc Fogel gets serious as he’s hooded during the 2023 grad hooding ceremony. (Photo: Steve Zylius/UCI)

Francisco Javier Mercado is hooded by physical sciences dean James Bullock. (Photo: Steve Zylius/UCI)

Chancellor Howard Gillman greets grad students at the grad hooding ceremony in the Bren Center. (Photo: Steve Zylius/UCI)

Ionne Faye Casino, public health sciences grad and first gen grad, is feted by family outside the Bren after the ceremony. Graduates from the Susan and Henry Samueli College of health Sciences celebrate at the 2023 commencement in the Bren Center Friday. (Photo: Steve Zylius/UCI)

Joy Seo, pharmaceutical sciences grad, sports an anteater on her cap. Graduates from the Susan and Henry Samueli College of health Sciences celebrate at the 2023 commencement in the Bren Center Friday. (Photo: Steve Zylius/UCI)

Alexis Anica, Public Health Sciences grad, poses for a shot with the anteater outside the Bren. Graduates from the Susan and Henry Samueli College of health Sciences celebrate at the 2023 commencement in the Bren Center Friday. (Photo: Steve Zylius/UCI)

Graduates from the Susan and Henry Samueli College of health Sciences celebrate at the 2023 commencement in the Bren Center Friday. (Photo: Steve Zylius/UCI)

Faith Couts and her son Hunter Wetzel celebrate their graduation from UCI at the 2023 commencement for the School of Social Sciencs in the Bren Center. (Photo: Steve Zylius/UCI)