Penn State University to host spring 2023 commencement ceremonies May 5-7
Penn State will celebrate the accomplishments of its graduates during its spring 2023 commencement ceremonies, the majority of which will be held Friday, May 5, through Sunday, May 7.
This spring Penn State expects to award approximately 14,032 diplomas to students University-wide who are completing 181 associate, 11,376 baccalaureate, 1,786 master’s, 321 law, 190 doctoral, 149 medical and 29 medical/graduate degrees. All figures listed are estimates as of April 27, 2023; totals do not include Penn College.
Ceremonies at Penn State University Park
More information about commencement ceremonies at University Park can be found on the commencement website.
Schreyer Honors College Medals Ceremony
Ceremony: 4 p.m. Friday, May 5, Bryce Jordan Center
Speaker: Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi
The Graduate School at Penn State
Ceremony: 4:30 p.m. Sunday, May 7, Bryce Jordan Center
Speaker: Kim Fenstermacher, assistant dean of nursing and professor of nursing, Messiah University
Visit advanced degree candidate commencement for more information and livestreaming details
Undergraduate commencement ceremonies
College of Agricultural Sciences
Ceremony: 1 p.m. Sunday, May 7, Pegula Ice Arena
Speaker: Russell C. Redding, secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
College of Arts and Architecture
Ceremony: 1 p.m. Saturday, May 6, Eisenhower Auditorium
Speaker: John R. Hoke III, chief design officer at Nike Inc. and Penn State architecture alumnus
Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications
Ceremony: 1 p.m. Saturday, May 6, Bryce Jordan Center
Speaker: Vince Sadusky, Penn State class of 1987, chief executive officer and a board member of International Game Technology
College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
Ceremony: 1 p.m. Saturday, May 7, Pegula Ice Arena
Speaker: Susan Avery, president emerita of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Eberly College of Science
Ceremony: 1 p.m. Sunday, May 7, Bryce Jordan Center
Speaker: Ala Stanford, pediatric surgeon; former regional director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; founder of the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium and the Dr. Ala Stanford Center for Health Equity; Penn State class of 1991 and 1997 (graduate)
College of Education
Ceremony: 9 a.m. Sunday, May 7, Pegula Ice Arena
Speaker: Tony B. Watlington Sr., superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia.
College of Engineering
Ceremony: 7 p.m. Friday, May 5, Bryce Jordan Center
Speaker: Charles L. Dages II, chairperson, emeritus, National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
College of Health and Human Development
Ceremony: 9 a.m. Sunday, May 7, Bryce Jordan Center
Speaker: Kathryn Ott Lovell, commissioner of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation
College of Information Sciences and Technology
Ceremony: 9 a.m. Saturday, May 6, Pegula Ice Area
Speaker: Deanne Criswell, administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency
College of the Liberal Arts
Ceremony: 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 6, Bryce Jordan Center
Speaker: Nina Jablonski, Evan Pugh University Professor of Anthropology, Penn State
Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing
Ceremony: 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 6, Eisenhower Auditorium
Speaker: Stacey-Ann Okoth, Penn State graduate, and senior vice president and associate chief nursing executive for Jefferson Health in Philadelphia
Smeal College of Business
Ceremony: 9 a.m. Saturday, May 6, Bryce Jordan Center
Speaker: Darrell K. Williams, president, Hampton University; retired lieutenant general, U.S. Army
Commonwealth Campuses
Penn State Abington
Ceremonies: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday, May 5, Athletic Building
Speaker: Hon. Art Haywood, Pennsylvania state senator, 4th Senatorial District
Visit Penn State Abington commencement for more information and livestreaming details.
Penn State Altoona
Ceremony: 10 a.m. Saturday, May 6, Adler Athletic Complex
Speaker: Roger Rickard, founder and president of Voices in Advocacy, author of “7 Actions of Highly Effective Advocates,” and host of the Voices in Advocacy podcast
Visit Penn State Altoona commencement for more information and livestreaming details.
Penn State Beaver
Ceremony: 11 a.m. Saturday, May 6, Gymnasium
Visit Penn State Beaver commencement for more information.
Penn State Behrend
Ceremony: 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 5, Erie Insurance Arena
Visit Penn State Behrend commencement for more information.
Penn State Berks
Ceremony: 10 a.m. Saturday, May 6, the Santander Arena in downtown Reading
Speaker: Brian S. Dreibelbis, Penn State Berks alumnus; senior director of supply chain human resources/labor and employee relations at Land O’Lakes Corp.; and member of the Penn State Berks Advisory Board
Visit Penn State Berks commencement for more information and livestreaming details.
Penn State Brandywine
Ceremony: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 6, Commons/Athletic Center
Visit Penn State Brandywine commencement for more information.
Penn State DuBois
Ceremony: 11 a.m. Friday, May 5, PAW Center Gymnasium
Speaker: Stephen Massini, CEO of Penn State Health, who attended Penn State DuBois to begin his academic career at the University
Visit Penn State DuBois commencement for more information and livestreaming details.
Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus
Ceremony: 10 a.m. Saturday, May 6, Community Center Main Arena
Speaker: Charles E. Hunnell, Vietnam War veteran, Penn State alumnus
Read Penn State Fayette’s commencement article for more information.
Penn State Great Valley
Ceremony: 7 p.m. Friday, May 5
Speaker: Marc A. Lucca, president of Aqua Pennsylvania
Visit Penn State Great Valley commencement for more information.
Penn State Greater Allegheny
Ceremony: 11 a.m. Saturday, May 6, Wunderley Gymnasium
Student Speaker: Adrian Eduardo Hiciano-Kingsley, information technology (bachelor of science) degree candidate
Commencement Speaker: David Newell, retired director of public relations for Fred Rogers Productions and best known as Mr. McFeely in “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”
Visit Penn State Greater Allegheny Commencement for more information and livestreaming details.
Penn State Harrisburg
Ceremony: 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 6, Giant Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania
Speaker: Patty Kim, Pennsylvania state representative
Visit Penn State Harrisburg commencement for more information and livestreaming details.
Penn State Hazleton
Ceremony: 7 p.m. Friday, May 5, Dr. Thomas M. Caccese Gymnasium, Physical Education Building
Visit Penn State Hazleton commencement for more information.
Penn State Lehigh Valley
Ceremony: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 6, Penn State Lehigh Valley, outdoor ceremony (rain or shine)
Speaker: Abu Fofanah, CEO of Power Your Launch
Visit Penn State Lehigh Valley Commencement for more information and livestreaming details.
Penn State Mont Alto
Ceremony: 10 a.m. Saturday, May 6, in the Multipurpose Activities Center
Visit Penn State Mont Alto commencement for more information.
Penn State New Kensington
Ceremony: 10 a.m. Saturday, May 6, in the Athletic Center
Speaker: Tom Guzzo, mayor of the city of New Kensington and Penn State alumnus
Visit Penn State New Kensington commencement for more information and livestreaming details.
Penn State Schuylkill
Ceremony: 10 a.m. Saturday, May 6, gymnasium
Speaker: Robert E. Fenza, Penn State trustee and chair of the committee on finance, business and capital planning; retired chief operating officer, Liberty Property Trust
Visit Penn State Schuylkill commencement for more information and livestreaming details.
Penn State Scranton
Ceremony: Noon Saturday, May 6, Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple
Speaker: Bridget Kosierowski, Pennsylvania state representative, 114th District/Lackawanna County
Visit Penn State Scranton Commencement for more information.
Penn State Shenango
Ceremony: 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 6, Campus Auditorium
Speaker: Carolyn M. Weiss, class of 1981 and chief financial officer of The Pension Boards
Visit Penn State Shenango commencement for more information.
Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Ceremony: 10 a.m. Saturday, May 6, Athletic & Recreation Building
Speaker: Rick Barry, philanthropist and investment management partner
Visit Penn State Wilkes-Barre commencement for more information and livestreaming details. A Forever Penn Staters Graduate Celebration also will be held 1-3 p.m. Friday, May 5, Hayfield House patio.
Penn State York
Ceremony: 6 p.m. Friday, May 5, Pullo Family Performing Arts Center
Speaker: State Sen. Kristen Phillips-Hill, Senate District 28