WHAT: Washington University’s 157th Commencement. The university will award 3,319 degrees to 3,150 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. The university also will bestow honorary degrees on five individuals.
WHO: Anne-Marie Slaughter, a renowned foreign policy expert, scholar and former top State Department official, will give the 2018 Commencement address. During the ceremony, Slaughter will receive an honorary doctor of laws degree.
The university’s other honorary degree recipients and their degrees are:
- Eric D. Green, MD, PhD, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), who has helped to shape the field of genomics and its application to medicine, doctor of science;
- Chris Krehmeyer, president and CEO of St. Louis-based Beyond Housing, where he works to build and support thriving communities by helping provide affordable housing and create economic development, doctor of humane letters;
- Michael L. Lomax, president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund, the nation’s largest private provider of scholarships and other educational support to African-American students, doctor of humane letters; and
- Francis G. Slay, St. Louis’ longest-serving mayor who, during his 16-year term, led a successful downtown and city neighborhood revival, doctor of humane letters.
WHERE: Brookings Quadrangle, which is directly west of Brookings Hall, the university’s main administration building that sits on a hill overlooking Forest Park. (In the event of severe weather, see plan below.)
WHEN: 8:30 a.m. Friday, May 18, 2018
MEDIA RESERVED SEATING: News organizations sending a reporter to Commencement should call Sue Killenberg McGinn by 5 p.m. Thursday, May 17, to make arrangements for a reserved seat in the Quad. Mult boxes will be available at the seats and near the Beaumont Pavilion stage. The reserved media seats are in the chancellor’s section, which is at the north end of the Quad on the east side of Beaumont Pavilion.
MEDIA PARKING: Reserved media parking is available near the power plant on Throop Drive, parallel to Forest Park Parkway. Take Forest Park Parkway to Hoyt Drive. Turn south on Hoyt and make an immediate right on to Throop Drive. Head west on Throop to reserved red parking spots in front of the power plant. Media IDs will be required to park there.
LIVE TV BROADCASTS: TV stations that plan to shoot live from Brookings Quad should make arrangements with Liam Otten. Please call 314-935-8494 (office) on May 17 or 314-874-6331 (cell) on May 18.
HIGHLIGHTS: Some of the graduating students have been showcased through stories, images and videos throughout the year. Visit 2018 Class Acts to see a sampling of our undergraduate, graduate and professional students who are changing the world through research, service and innovation. Also among the Class of 2018 are two Rhodes Scholars.
SEVERE WEATHER PLAN: Commencement will be held outside rain or shine. However, in case of severe weather, the universitywide Commencement ceremony in Brookings Quadrangle will be canceled. If that happens, a ceremony for undergraduates only will move inside to the Athletic Complex Field House and begin at 8:30 a.m. The ceremonies for all graduate and professional degree candidates will be held at their schools’ individual recognition ceremonies.
If the severe weather schedule is necessary, media will be notified by 7 a.m. Friday.
For more information the morning of Commencement, call Sue Killenberg McGinn at 314-603-6008.
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