Traffic concerns may mark travel in the UCSD area this weekend as some 8,364 graduating students and thousands of guests will gather for commencement speeches and other events at the university’s 11 undergraduate and graduate schools. The majority of ceremonies take place throughout the day Saturday and Sunday, June 13 and 14.
Commencement weekend will kick off with the university’s ninth annual All-Campus Graduation Celebration at 5 p.m. Friday, June 12 at RIMAC Field. The informal fete is open to undergraduate and graduate students and their friends and families. The event will include a keynote speech by Danny Zuker, an award-winning executive producer and writer for the popular ABC TV series “Modern Family.” Following the program, the celebration will feature appetizers and local beer for attendees 21 and older.
The first of three ceremonies scheduled for Saturday, June 13 will be held by Eleanor Roosevelt College at 8 a.m. on RIMAC Field. Some 990 graduates and about 8,000 guests will gather to hear the commencement speech from graduating senior Avril Prakash, who will discuss how the college’s values and mission will help graduates advance in life.
Thurgood Marshall College is leading off the ceremonies Sunday, June 14 at 8 a.m., with about 1,200 graduates and more than 10,000 guests on RIMAC Field. The keynote speaker will be Frank Bruni, New York Times op-ed columnist. Bruni’s career at The New York Times has taken him from White House correspondent to chief restaurant critic to his current role as op-ed political and cultural observer. He has long been known for his carefully crafted opinions and observations on current events.
The schools of medicine and pharmacy have held their commencements.
The university is bounded by I-5 north to the east, North Torrey Pines Road to the west, Genesee Avenue to the north and La Jolla Village Drive to the south.