Most of Arkansas’ colleges and universities are conducting graduation ceremonies this week or next week, including the University of Arkansas and Arkansas State University.
Here’s the when and where for upcoming commencement events at Arkansas’ Division I and Division II schools:
University of Arkansas
The state’s largest university by enrollment will hold ceremonies in Fayetteville on Friday and Saturday, graduating more than 6,500 students. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette has details here on times, places and speakers at the UA’s flagship campus.
Arkansas State University
Arkansas State University will have commencement at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday at First National Bank Arena in Jonesboro.
Roughly 2,565 Red Wolves are poised to graduate, and doors will open 90 minutes before each ceremony at the arena, located at 217 Olympic Drive, according to the university. Tickets are not required, and all parking lots at the arena will be open. More information is available here.
Arkansas Tech University
Arkansas Tech University will confer approximately 1,970 degrees and credentials during a trio of commencement ceremonies Thursday and Friday at John E. Tucker Coliseum on the Russellville campus.
The 6:30 p.m. ceremony on Friday will honor graduates from the ATU College of Education and Health, while the 9:30 a.m. ceremony Saturday will recognize graduates of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and ATU-Ozark Campus, according to the university. Graduates from the College of Arts and Humanities and the College of Business and Economic Development will participate in a 2 p.m. ceremony Saturday. Additional information is available here.
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will have commencement on Saturday, May 16, in two ceremonies at 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Jack Stephens Center.
Undergraduates from the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics and the College of Business and Health & Human Services will be at the morning ceremony, while undergraduates from the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education — and all graduate students from the Graduate School — will be at the afternoon ceremony, according to UALR. The ceremonies will be livestreamed on YouTube.
University of Arkansas – Fort Smith
The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith will have three commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 16th, in the Stubblefield Center, all of which will be livestreamed on YouTube.
UA-Fort Smith’s College of Health, Education, and Human Sciences will have commencement at 10 a.m., the College of Arts and Sciences will be at 1 p.m., and the College of Business and Industry’s ceremony will be at 4 p.m., according to the university. More details can be found here.
Southern Arkansas University
Southern Arkansas University will honor more than 500 spring graduates during three undergraduate ceremonies on Friday and a graduate ceremony Saturday in the W.T. Watson Athletic Center in Magnolia.
Friday’s lineup includes the Department of Nursing Pinning Ceremony (Grand Hall) at 8 a.m., then commencement for the College of Science and Engineering, College of Education and Human Performance, and Rankin College of Business and Dempsey College of Liberal and Performing Arts at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m., respectively, according to SAU. The School of Graduate Studies will have commencement at 11 a.m. Saturday. All commencement ceremonies will be streamed live on the SAU Facebook page for those who wish to attend virtually.
University of Arkansas at Monticello
The University of Arkansas at Monticello will have commencement Friday in the Steelman Field House at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The morning ceremony will include the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources, the School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, the School of Nursing, the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the Division of General Studies, according to UA-Monticello. The afternoon ceremony will include the School of Arts and Humanities, the School of Business, the School of Computer Information Systems and the School of Education. A link to livestream the ceremonies will be available here.
Harding University
Harding University will celebrate more than 800 graduates Saturday in three ceremonies at Benson Auditorium.
A list of programs featured at the 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m. commencement can be found here.
Tickets — which can be procured online or by calling 501-279-5777 — are required for guest seating, but the ceremonies can also be livestreamed here.
Ouachita Baptist University
Ouachita Baptist University will have commencement at 9 a.m. Saturday on the lawn of Cone-Bottoms Hall.
Chairs will be provided for guests, and no tickets are necessary, according to the university. The event will be livestreamed, and available to view afterward here.
Hendrix College
Hendrix College commencement will be Saturday, May 16, at 9 a.m. in the Wellness and Athletics Center, across both the Event Gym and the Recreation Gym.
Graduates will be divided into two groups, and guests with Group A tickets will be seated in the Event Gym for the first portion of the ceremony, while guests with Group B tickets will be seated in the Recreation Gym, where they will watch a livestream, according to the college. At intermission, guest seating will rotate.
More details, including livestream information, can be found here.
Lyon College
Lyon College will celebrate commencement at 8:30 a.m. May 16, in Couch Garden on campus.
Matt Greenwood, chief operating officer of Artisanal Imports and a 2004 Lyon College Honors Fellow Program graduate, will be the featured speaker. The event will be livestreamed on the school’s YouTube channel.
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences will have commencement May 14-16.
The Graduate School ceremony will be at 6 p.m. May 14 at the Stephens Spine Institute in Little Rock, with the College of Pharmacy convocation and commencement May 16 at 2 p.m. at the Benton High School Auditorium, according to UAMS.
College of Nursing pinning, hooding, and recognition will be at 11 a.m. May 15 at First Pentecostal Church in North Little Rock, College of Public Health commencement will be at 3 p.m. that day at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, and College of Medicine honors convocation and commencement will be at 7 p.m. that night at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock.
Henderson State University
Henderson State University will celebrate more than 300 undergraduate and graduate students receiving degrees Friday in the Duke Wells Center in Arkadelphia.
The ceremony for College of Business and Teachers College graduates will start at 10 a.m., and the ceremony for College of Performing Arts and Social Sciences and Caver College of Aviation, Science, and Nursing will begin at 1 p.m. Both will be livestreamed on Henderson’s YouTube channel, according to Henderson.
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff will feature Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. as speaker for its 173rd Commencement Exercises Saturday at 10 a.m., to be hosted at the Pine Bluff Convention Center at 1 Convention Center Plaza.
Commencement will also be livestreamed on UAPB’s YouTube channel, with additional details available here, according to UAPB.
Ryan Anderson
Ryan Anderson covers higher education across the state. He joined the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in August 2022 after covering education — and other topics — for a decade at four newspapers in three states. A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Ryan attended DePaul University in Chicago and now resides in Fayetteville.
