UA News

Staff volunteers are still needed for next week's commencement ceremonies.

Thousands of University of Arizona students will be presented with their degrees at next week's spring Commencement, but they're not the only ones taking part in the big day. Year after year, UA faculty and staff play a key role in the graduation ceremony, as guests and as volunteers, making sure the event runs as smoothly as possible.

The 140th commencement will include two ceremonies this year, one for undergraduates and one for graduate students. The graduate ceremony, for 913 master's and specialist degree candidates and 376 doctoral degree candidates, will take place May 15 at 7:30 p.m. The undergraduate ceremony, for 4,895 students, is scheduled for May 16 at 8 a.m.

Faculty marshals will lead eight lines of undergraduates and three lines of graduates into the ceremonies at McKale Memorial Center, said John Murphy, faculty marshal coordinator and professor and associate dean of the College of Pharmacy.

For some, acting as marshal is an important University tradition.

Tom Gehrels, a UA astronomer and planetary sciences professor, has led students into the ceremony for the past 20 years, and says it's the look on the students' faces that keeps him involved year after year.

"It is the shine in their eyes. Their faces are radiant," he said.

Philip Pinto, an astronomy professor, has volunteered as a platform marshal, leading out guests who are seated onstage during the ceremony – including President Robert N. Shelton, commencement speakers, award winners and others – for the past decade.

He said he'd like to see more faculty members get involved in Commencement.

"It's a big deal for so many students. It's an enormous achievement to graduate and it deserves some pomp and circumstance," he said.

While marshal positions are filled for this year's ceremony, faculty members are still encouraged to attend as guests and to take part in the faculty procession. Instructions for faculty participation, including a schedule for the day, are available on the Commencement Web site. Academic regalia is required for participation in the procession and can be purchased through the UA BookStore. Monday is the deadline for orders.

UA staff and appointed personnel are also needed to help with the Commencement procession, and those interested in volunteering should contact Claudia Davila, senior coordinator for the Associated Students of The University of Arizona, at 621-2782 or claudia@u.arizona.edu by Monday.

An adequate number of volunteers for the undergraduate ceremony will be especially important this year because of the undergraduate ceremony's large size, Davila said. In the past, there were two ceremonies – divided by colleges – that included both graduates and undergraduates.

Volunteers will receive a certificate for 20 percent off at the UA BookStore.