Nearly 1,400 Students Set to Graduate in Fall Commencement

Photo by Whit Pruitt

The U of A will celebrate its fall graduating class with two commencement ceremonies on Saturday, Dec.17, at Bud Walton Arena.

Graduates from the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences; Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences; and College of Engineering will make up the first ceremony starting at 8:30 a.m.

The second ceremony will start at 12:30 p.m. and will consist of students from the School of Law, Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, College of Education and Health Professions, the Walton College of Business and interdisciplinary graduate students. 

Graduate students will be grouped at the beginning of each ceremony and will attend the ceremony corresponding to their college.

Live streaming of both ceremonies will be available on the U of A YouTube channel.

Guest Information

Doors will open 60 minutes prior to each ceremony, and guests are encouraged to be seated 15 minutes prior to the ceremony’s start. 

All guests will be required to enter through the south or west entrances of Bud Walton Arena. Tickets are not required, but bags will be checked for security purposes. Compact umbrellas are allowed, but balloons, wrapped packages and strollers are not allowed in Bud Walton Arena. A full list of prohibited items is available online. Light concessions will be available for purchase by credit/debit (no cash), therefore outside food and drink is not permitted.

Free parking is available in any unrestricted parking lot on campus. General parking lots nearby Bud Walton Arena include lots 44, 47N, 47S, 56, 72, 73, 73A and 74 (A, B, C and E). 

Disabled drop-off is located at the south entrance of Bud Walton, with disabled parking available in lot 60. 

More information for families and guests can be found at the registrar’s website.

Graduate Information

All students should check in at the east truck tunnel of Bud Walton Arena 60 minutes prior to the ceremony start time. Personal items are not allowed in the student lineup areas or on the arena floor during the ceremony. Students should also arrive wearing their regalia.

Students are encouraged to download the U of A Graduation app on Google Play or Apple devices for details on graduation and commencement, including useful information about applying to graduate, attending commencement and receiving the diploma.

Any additional information about commencement can be found on the registrar’s website.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.