The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will award about 1,800 degrees at its 127th commencement on Sunday, Dec. 18, at 10 a.m. at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, 400 W. Kilbourn Ave.
The university will present 1,234 bachelor’s degrees, 412 master’s degrees, 55 doctoral degrees, 57 flexible option degrees and 66 associate degrees. The oldest bachelor’s degree recipient is 61, while the youngest is 18. The oldest associate degree recipient is 48; the youngest is 17.
SEATING
Graduates do not need tickets to attend, but all guests are required to have a ticket. Graduates were initially limited to four guests each, though some were able to claim unused tickets. There will be 8,500 seats available for guests in the UWM Panther Arena.
Doors open at 8 a.m. Guests can enter the UWM Panther Arena at the south entrance, along West Kilbourn Avenue. Graduates enter through the doors on the east end of the south entrance.
The only bags permitted inside the arena are diaper bags and medical bags, both of which will be subject to search; gallon-sized clear zip bags; and clear stadium bags no larger than 12 inches by 12 inches by 6 inches.
The ceremony will be livestreamed. That stream can be seen on UWM’s website, where it will remain available for viewing afterward.
COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER: Ashok Rai
The featured speaker at commencement will be Ashok Rai, president and chief executive officer of Prevea Health. Prevea Health was founded in Green Bay in 1996 and employs more than 2,400 people.
Rai’s passion to redesign health care in the U.S. embraces the movement from fee-for-service methods of payment to value-based care, which rewards health care organizations for their work in preventive health care and encouraging patients to live healthy lifestyles. Rai has also taken proactive steps to enhance diversity and inclusion efforts within the Prevea Health system, and equitable access to health care for all in our communities.
Born and raised in Michigan, Rai attended undergraduate school at UW-Milwaukee, enrolled in the Target M.D. program. He completed his medical degree at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Following residency, Rai specialized in hospital medicine and held various leadership positions at Prevea Health before becoming the president and CEO of Prevea Health in 2009. He also continues to practice medicine, caring for patients at Woodside Lutheran Nursing Home in Green Bay and in occasional hospitalist shifts.
MEDIA ACCESS
Members of the media wishing to cover the commencement ceremonies should enter through the Panther Arena’s main doors and ask for assistance from an usher. Media may shoot video or photos from the back or sides of the arena but should stay out of the middle aisles to avoid interfering with students. There is limited riser space behind the first section of seats.
SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES
The numbers of degrees awarded by UWM schools and colleges are below. The numbers include bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, associate and flex degrees.
College of Letters and Science: 433
Lubar School of Business: 310
College of Engineering & Applied Science: 207
College of Health Sciences: 167
College of Nursing: 160
Helen Bader School of Social Welfare: 111
School of Education: 104
School of Information Studies: 103
Peck School of the Arts: 99
College of General Studies: 66
School of Architecture & Urban Planning: 46
Zilber School of Public Health: 22
Global Studies Interdisciplinary: 7
School of Freshwater Sciences: 6