UC Merced graduates honored during in-person commencement at Merced Theatre

After more than a year of virtual graduation ceremonies during the coronavirus pandemic, hundreds of UC Merced graduates celebrated with formal in-person commencement ceremonies over the weekend in downtown Merced.

According to the university, more than 700 students were expected to graduate with certifications and degrees.

About 400 graduates were expected to participate in the in-person ceremonies at the Art Kamanger Center at the Merced Theatre on Saturday for the university’s schools of natural science, social sciences, and humanities and arts.

Na’ilah Suad Nasir, president of the Spencer Foundation, a Chicago-based organization that invests in research education, was featured as this year’s commencement speaker. In addition to the fall 2021 graduates, summer 2021 graduates were also invited to join the celebration as their commencement was affected by the pandemic, according to the university website.