Fall Commencement, 2016

Congratulations to our newest alumni today as 1,649 undergraduates and 1,108 graduate students—for a total of 2,757— walk in the university's fall Commencement ceremonies:

Caleb Stevens, who will receive his bachelor's degree in business management from the Terry College of Business, will be the student speaker for the undergraduate ceremony.

Three students will be recognized as First Honor Graduates during the undergraduate exercises for maintaining a 4.0 cumulative grade point average in all work attempted at UGA as well as all college-level transfer work prior to or following enrollment at the university. These students are Brenden Michael Hull, double-majoring in accounting and international business; Sharon Sion Park, majoring in early childhood education; and Hannah Catherine Turner, double-majoring in economics and public relations. Lindsey Kaitlyn Morton, majoring in biology, who will not be present at the ceremony, also is a First Honor Graduate.

Of the 1,108 graduate students eligible to walk at the 2:30 p.m. ceremony, 300 are doctoral candidates and 808 are receiving their master's or specialist degrees.

The university's graduate Commencement will feature UGA alumna Tonya H. Cornileus, vice president of learning and organizational development at ESPN. She is responsible for the learning, talent management and organizational development strategies for ESPN employees around the world. She also serves as an adviser to senior management at ESPN on all matters pertaining to her field.

From Amazing student profiles all year to news articles this week about athletes returning to campus to finish their degrees, it is an extraordinary day on our campus and the reason we are all here. Congratulations to our graduates, and to the families and friends who have played such crucial support roles and who we also now welcome as part of the extended University of Georgia family.