The University of Northwestern – St. Paul (UNW) is scheduled to confer 333 degrees on Friday and Saturday, May 14–15, as undergraduate and graduate students walk across the John Lord and Beverly Knight Performance Hall stage to receive a diploma in recognition of their countless hours of study, research, collaboration, and application. The four commencement ceremonies—held at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. each of the two days—will be Northwestern’s first in-person graduation events since December 2019 and the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each ceremony is a ticketed event, with seating for each session limited and assigned to prevent the spread of the virus.
Of the 333 degrees being awarded, 305 will be given to bachelor’s candidates. Twenty-five master’s degrees will also be distributed, as well as three associate of arts diplomas. Northwestern will confer the majority of bachelor’s degrees to those studying nursing (50), psychology (19), and biology (17). The School of Business is celebrating 49 graduates, while the departments of Communication and Education boast 31 and 27 graduates, respectively. Additionally, the academic departments of Biology and Biochemistry, Christian Ministries, and Art & Design will graduate 22, 21, and 17 students.
Each ceremony will include remarks from President Dr. Alan Cureton, Provost Dr. Janet Sommers, and multiple faculty members, as well as a COVID-safe musical performance by the Northwestern Choir under the direction of Timothy Sawyer. Mrs. Ginger Ewing, J.D., a decorated financial advisor and member of the Northwestern Board of Trustees, is the featured commencement speaker. Mrs. Ewing is the managing partner of Shine Wealth, a franchise of Ameriprise Financial Services. In addition to earning her collegiate degree from the University of Miami, Ewing was the valedictorian of her graduating class at William Mitchell College of Law.
In addition to the in-person ceremonies, all four sessions will be streamed online for friends and family members who are unable to physically attend.