Joe Wilensky

Graduating seniors try on caps and gowns in Teagle Hall May 20.

Lindsay France/University Photography

More students prepare for Commencement, which will be held May 24.

Cornell’s 147th Graduation Weekend highlights include the Senior Convocation address by former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, M.R.P. ’96, and her husband, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, Saturday, May 23, at noon, and the Commencement address from Cornell President David J. Skorton, Sunday, May 24, at 11 a.m. About 6,000 graduates will receive their degrees. Both events will be at Schoellkopf Stadium.

The Senior Convocation ceremony also will feature an address by Senior Class President Donald Edward Muir. In the event of severe or inclement weather, the event will be moved into Barton Hall, and admission will be by ticket only. The convocation will be streamed live on the Cornell website. On Wednesday, May 20, at noon, Senior Convocation inclement weather tickets may be reserved by graduating seniors via www.cornelltickets.com on a first-come, first-served basis.

Commencement will be broadcast live on Ithaca’s Time Warner Cable Channel 16 and streamed live on the Cornell website. The Commencement ceremony can be heard on WHCU radio (870 AM) starting at 11 a.m. The Commencement procession and ceremony can be viewed afterward on CornellCast.

Graduation Weekend events include:

Saturday, May 23:

• Commissioning ceremonies for the Air Force, Army, Navy/Marine Corps. Commissioning 8 to 9 a.m., Alice Statler Auditorium, Statler Hall. Reception will be 9 to 11 a.m. at Beck Center, Statler Hall.
• Samuel C. Johnson Graduate School of Management Executive MBA Recognition Ceremony, 9:30 a.m. at Bailey Hall. Reception 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Appel Commons.
• Senior Convocation: noon at Schoellkopf Stadium with Giffords and Kelly.
• Family Gathering and Ice Cream Social: Skorton and the Cornell Board of Trustees will host an ice cream social for students, their families and guests, under a tent, 2 to 3:30 p.m. on the Arts Quad.
• DVM Hooding Ceremony: the new doctors of veterinary medicine will take the Veterinarian’s Oath and receive their hoods at a 2 p.m. ceremony in Bailey Hall. Reception at 4:30 p.m., Bailey Plaza.
• Johnson Residential MBA Ceremony: New Residential MBA and Cornell Tech MBA graduates will be honored at Newman Arena in Bartels Hall, 2:30 to 4 p.m. Reception at Sage Hall, 4 to 6 p.m.
• Cornell University Wind Ensemble Concert: The premiere instrumental student ensemble performs international and American music, as well as Cornell songs, during a concert on the Arts Quad, 2:45 to 3:45 p.m.
• Ph.D. Hooding Ceremony: Families, friends and faculty members are invited to attend the ceremony at 5 p.m. in Barton Hall. A reception will follow.
• Senior Week Concert: The Cornell University Cornell University Chorus and the Cornell University Glee Club and the will present their annual Senior Days concert at 8 p.m. in Bailey Hall. Admission $12 adult; $5 students, with tickets available at www.baileytickets.com or at the door.

Sunday, May 24:

• Guests arrive starting at 8 a.m. at Schoellkopf Stadium for seating.
• Procession: The academic procession assembles on the Arts Quad at 9:15 a.m. and the procession will begin to arrive at Schoellkopf Stadium at 10 a.m.
• Commencement Ceremony: Skorton will give his ninth Commencement Address. The ceremony is 11 a.m. to noon.
• College and school ceremonies: These will be held at various locations across campus, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. A listing will be in the Commencement program handed out at the ceremony and is at www.commencement.cornell.edu/May/colrecep.html.

Parking

Some parking lots and roads will be closed during the weekend. See www.commencement.cornell.edu/May/parkseat.html.

Weather

Sunday Commencement exercises will be held outdoors unless weather is deemed potentially dangerous. If severe weather is forecast, two ceremonies will be held for ticketed guests in Barton Hall. Check the inclement weather plan for details, and check cornell.edu for updates.