The University of West Alabama will honor nearly 700 graduates during spring commencement exercises on Saturday, May 4, during two ceremonies. Both ceremonies will be held in Pruitt Gymnasium on the UWA campus, with presidential receptions open to all graduates and their guests held prior to each ceremony.

The University will confer degrees in the Ira D. Pruitt Division of Nursing and in the colleges of Liberal Arts, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Business and Technology, and Education at a 10 a.m. ceremony. A reception for graduating students and their guests will be held from 8:15 until 9 a.m. in Bell Conference Center. Doors open at Pruitt Gymnasium at 9 a.m. for the undergraduate ceremony.

The School of Graduate Studies will confer master’s and education specialist degrees in a 1:30 p.m. ceremony. A reception in their honor will be held from noon until 1 p.m. in Bell Conference Center. Doors open at Pruitt Gymnasium at 1 p.m. for the graduate ceremony.

Tickets are required for each ceremony and are available from the graduates. Overflow seating to watch commencement exercises will be available in Lyon Hall Auditorium Bibb Graves Auditorium, and both are open on a first come, first served basis.

UWA grad spring 2019

The graduating student with the highest GPA will be awarded the 2019 Ralph M. Lyon Award. In addition to honoring students for their academic achievements, the University will present the 2019 William E. Gilbert Award for Outstanding Teaching and will recognize 2019 Nellie Rose McCrory Service Excellence Award recipient Greg Jones and 2019 Loraine McIlwain Bell Trustee Professor Dr. James Robinson. An honorary doctorate will be presented to Consul General Takashi Shinozuka.

Dr. Christopher Shelt will lead the UWA Choral Union in special performances honoring graduates, including pieces featuring pianist Dr. Paul Lee and percussionist Mark Turner. In addition, the UWA Band, directed by Michael Tignor, will perform. Rev. Carl Sudduth of Gainesville Methodist Church will give the invocation and benediction.

Commencement ceremonies will stream live at www.uwa.edu/live. For more information on the event, call 205-652-3833.