
Celebrate UCR's 66th Commencement
Given that UC Riverside will continue to offer instruction remotely in the fall due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in Riverside County, it is unlikely that we will be able to host the postponed in-person Commencement ceremonies on campus at the end of Fall Quarter 2020.
We will continue to follow guidelines established by the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention and abide by orders from California Governor Gavin Newsom and the Riverside County Public Health Officer before determining appropriate dates for the postponed in-person ceremonies. Information regarding those ceremonies will be communicated to graduating students and their families approximately 3 months prior to the ceremony dates, so that they can plan accordingly.
UCR Class of 2020 Online Celebration Links
UC Riverside Class of 2020, congratulations on your graduation!
The UC Riverside Class of 2020 Online Celebration will begin today, June 14 at 2:00 p.m. Please see the links below and click on the appropriate link to be directed to your online celebration. Once the celebration page is live at 1:55 p.m., please click the play button on the “UC Riverside Class of 2020 Online Celebration” video and get settled in for the program to premiere at 2:00 p.m. Please feel free to click the “full screen” icon at the bottom right corner to watch the program full screen once the video has premiered.
Advanced Degree Graduates and Teacher Credential Online Celebration
Bachelor’s Degree Graduates Online Celebration
Commencement 2020
Welcome to the official Website for UC Riverside's 66th Commencement.
If you are a graduating student, congratulations on your achievement! You have worked hard to get to this point in your life and UC Riverside is honored to have been part of your journey.
Making this day a memorable occasion for you and your proud family members and friends is very important to UC Riverside, so we have developed this website for everything Commencement.
Getting Started
-
Step 1: Confirm that you are eligible to graduate.
Students who expect to graduate Fall 2019, Winter 2020 or Spring 2020 are eligible to participate in Commencement 2020. Students who expect to graduate Summer 2020 are not automatically eligible to participate but may do so if the early deadlines and requirement are met.
-
Step 2: Check out our Online Celebration checklist to make sure you are on track with the graduation application deadlines and requirements.
Check out our Class of 2020 Online Celebration checklist to make sure you are on track with the graduation application deadlines and requirements.
In order to graduate from UCR, undergraduate students must submit a graduation application via R'Web. In addition to this, students in CHASS, CNAS, and School of Business must also complete your College graduation application.
For Advanced degree candidates and Teaching Credential candidates, please complete the appropriate paperwork on time and receive approval from the Graduate Division and Teacher Education Program office.
-
Step 3: Submit your Intent to Participate when the e-mail is sent to eligible students starting May 14, 2020.
The Intent to Participate form confirms that you will be participating in the Class of 2020 Online Celebration on Sunday, June 14, 2020.
Please note the important deadlines below:
Thursday, May 21, 2020: Deadline to select your Name to Be Read and have your name pre-recorded for your personalized graduate slide. Please note, if you register after this deadline your legal first and last name will be pre-recorded.
Monday, June 8, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. (Extended due to Marching Order technical difficulties): Deadline to select how your name is displayed and submit your personal message and photo for your personalized graduate slide. -
Step 4: Let us know your plans after graduation!
You've made it to graduation, but what's your next destination? Tell us your next step now!
Schedule of Ceremonies
Friday, May 29, 2020
6:00 p.m. School of Medicine - Commencement / Hippocratic Oath Ceremony
M.D. degree recipients
Location: Zoom Webinar
Class of 2020 Online Celebration
Sunday, June 14, 2020
2:00 p.m. Class of 2020 Online Celebration
All Ph.D., Master's degree, Bachelor's degree, and Teacher Credential candidates
Location: UCR Commencement Homepage
Other Online Celebrations
Saturday, May 30, 2020
1:00 p.m. Student Disability Resource Center Celebration
The Student Disability Resource Center is recognizing undergraduate and graduate students with disabilities who are receiving their degrees this spring and summer. If you would like to participate, please contact Glyn Wild at sdrc@ucr.edu.
Friday, June 12, 2020
College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences Celebration
Location: https://chass.ucr.edu/grad2020
4:00 p.m. Statistics Department Celebration (CNAS)
5:00 p.m. Earth & Planetary Sciences Department Celebration (CNAS)
5:00 p.m. University Honors Celebration
Location: https://honors.ucr.edu/
Saturday, June 13, 2020
10:00 a.m. Entomology Department Celebration (CNAS)
2:00 p.m. Physics & Astronomy Department Celebration (CNAS)
Location: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChUFKjRHxyIe9bsvBmmtsvA/
6:00 p.m. Chicano Student Programs Celebration
Location: https://www.youtube.com/ucriverside
Join Chicano Student Programs after the ceremony for a live celebration with good music y buenas vibras at 8 pm here!
Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering Celebration
Location: https://bcoegrad2020.engr.ucr.edu/
Sunday, June 14, 2020
2:30 p.m. School of Public Policy Celebration
Location: Zoom Webinar
If you would like to participate in this celebration, please contact Mark Manalang at mark.manalang@ucr.edu.
3:00 p.m. College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences Celebration
Location: https://cnas.ucr.edu/cnasgrad20
Graduate School of Education Celebration
Location: https://education.ucr.edu/class2020
School of Business Celebration
Location: https://business.ucr.edu/classof2020
Friday, June 19, 2020
6:00 p.m. Exclusive Statewide Pan-African Graduation Celebration
Please RSVP at https://pac3.qwest.co/
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
2020 UCR Lambda Celebration
Location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EV6KnLum2yw&feature=youtu.be
Zoom Backgrounds for Celebrations
We have created UCR Zoom backgrounds that you can use for any Zoom celebrations with your friends and family! Please feel free to download any of our Zoom backgrounds below.
Download Zoom Background 1 - Pierce Lawn
Tradition & Symbols
The UCR Pipe Band
The UCR Pipe Band performs on the campus and surrounding community at formal and informal events, including parades, memorials, highland games, athletic events, alumni events, Chancellor's events and Commencement. The band encompasses a diverse group of musicians and performers offering a wide variety of Celtic music played on bagpipes and drums. Visit their website to find out more about the UCR Pipe Band.
The Regalia
In 1895, American Universities adopted a code for uniformity in academic dress. These codes, handed down from European academic ceremonies, represent different degree levels, field of study, and the institution from which the degree was earned. Each color, worn on tassels, hoods, velvet and satin trimmings, represents a specific educational discipline:
- Arts, Letters, Humanities: white
- Commerce, Accountancy, Business: drab
- Economics: copper
- Education: light blue
- Engineering: orange
- Music: pink
- Philosophy: dark blue
- Public Administration: peacock blue
- Medicine: green
- Science: golden yellow
- Theology: scarlet
- Social Work: citron
The Seal of the University of California
The present seal, designed by Tiffany and Company, has been used since 1910. The seal incorporates symbolic icons and phrases that represent the image of the University. Symbols used include:
- The open book, which symbolized the accumulation and dissemination of knowledge.
- The letter "A", representing the beginning of wisdom.
- The five-pointed star above the book represents the discovery and sharing of knowledge.
- The University motto, "Fiat Lux", or "Let There be Light", displayed on a scroll, represents the coming of light and knowledge in to the world.
The Chancellor's Medal
The Chancellor's Medal is worn at ceremonial observances as a part of the chancellor's regalia. At the center is the University of California seal. The back of the medal displays the names of the campus' chancellors and year he or she was inaugurated.
The UC Riverside Mace
The academic mace, first used in the 14th century, is descended from the club of Hercules. The scepter on the mace stands for lawful power and regal authority, and was carried by Zeus, the Greek God of moral law and order.
Most academic maces take the same general shape. At the top is an ornament placed on a bulbous head; ring-shaped enlargements are found on the shaft; and the base is a round, foliated ornament.
The UC Riverside Mace was first suggested by Ramon J. Rhine, Chair of the Academic Senate, to represent the dignity and history of the campus. Professor Emeritus George Helmkamp designed and constructed the ceremonial mace, with Eugene L. Ethridge of the Chemistry Department contributing metal work.
The UC Riverside mace was hand crafted with inlaid woods, with the head and shaft made out of Hawaiian Koa wood. The light inlaid wood is Yellow Fir from Canada, and the dark inlays are Desert Ironwood collected by Professor Helmkamp throughout Southern California. The mace has ornaments at the top and the base. The base is in the shape of a citrus fruit, representing UCR's Citrus Experiment Station. The top ornament is the bear of the State of California. Seals of California and the University are mounted on opposite sides of the mace's head. Below the seals are the mottos of California and the University, respectively, along with the years 1850 (the year California was admitted in to the Union), and 1868 (the year the University of California was founded).
UC Riverside Alma Mater
Professor of Music Byron Adams joined the UCR faculty in 1987 and was dismayed to discover that the university did not have a school song. To promote school spirit and engender institutional pride, Adams held an informal competition for the text of the song and selected the verses written by the late Bob Wild, a beloved physics professor. He then set forth to create "Hail Fair UCR".
"I sat down one beautiful winter afternoon and, inspired by the hills surrounding the university, the bell tower and the orange groves, composed Hail Fair UCR," he said. "It is meant to be sung in full - every word and every note - at Commencement and other solemn, and not so solemn, university events."
A Look Back
Relive the pageantry and excitement of UCR’s Commencement ceremonies. Watch videos of the keynote and student speakers from each of the ceremonies as well as the remarks from our Chancellor and Deans of the Colleges.
Commencement 2019 Ceremonies
Watch the ceremonies from UCR's 65th Commencement exercises, May 31-June 1 and June 14-17, 2019.
2018
Watch the ceremonies from UCR's 64th Commencement exercises, June 1 and June 15 - 19, 2018.
2017
Watch the ceremonies from UCR's 63rd Commencement exercises, June 9 and June 16–19, 2017.
2016
Watch the ceremonies from UCR's 62nd Commencement exercises, June 10–13, 2016.
2015
Watch the ceremonies from UCR's 61st Commencement exercises, June 12–15, 2015.
2014
Watch the ceremonies from UCR's 60th Commencement exercises, June 13–16, 2014.
2013
Watch the ceremonies from UCR's 59th Commencement exercises, June 14–17, 2013.
2012
Watch the ceremonies and view photos from UCR's 58th Commencement exercises, June 15–18, 2012.
2011
Watch the ceremonies and view photos from UCR's 57th Commencement exercises, June 10–13, 2011.
2010
Watch the ceremonies from UCR's 56th Commencement exercises, June 11-14, 2010
Show Your Support for the UCR Class of 2020!
Honor your graduate or show support for the Class of 2020 by displaying a custom lawn sign in your yard. Choose one to print at home or send to a local vendor to celebrate our graduating Highlanders!
Participant Information
CANDIDATES FOR GRADUATION
Information for all candidates for graduation, including those receiving Bachelor's Degrees, Advanced Degrees or Teaching Credentials. Includes links to checklists that help ensure all requirements and deadlines for participation in Commencement are met and other important information regarding Commencement.