Cornell College Commencement set for May 12

Update: Due to cold and wet weather predicted for Sunday, Commencement will be held indoors at the Small Multi-Sport Center.

The family and friends of 210 Cornell graduates will celebrate their success at the 161st annual Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 12.

Cornell’s graduates come from around the world, and 62 of them will finish two or more majors. In addition, two students will be receiving a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, one a Bachelor of Music, 12 Bachelor of Special Studies, and 195 will have a Bachelor of Arts degree.

The ceremony for the class of 2019 starts at 10 a.m. and will be held, weather permitting, outdoors on the quad bordered by South Hall, College Hall, and Norton Geology Center. No tickets are required. Guests should be seated by 9:45 a.m.

Commencement will feature a faculty speaker and a senior speaker. Belou Quimby ’19 was selected as the student speaker. Quimby is a biochemistry and molecular biology major from San José del Cabo, Mexico, who has plans of becoming a veterinarian. Associate Professor of Chemistry Jai Shanata ’05 was selected as the faculty speaker. The graduating class nominates the speakers. Then seniors vote for one of the top three student nominees, while the president and dean of the college select the faculty speaker out of the top three nominees.

If the ceremony is moved indoors due to weather, it will be announced on Friday, May 10, and held at the Richard and Norma Small Multi-Sport Center. Doors will open at 8:30 a.m.

Baccalaureate will occur from 3–4 p.m. on Saturday, May 11, at King Chapel. The college is asking guests to be seated by 2:45 p.m. This Cornell tradition features playful and meaningful words of gratitude from graduating seniors on behalf of their faculty, family, staff, and friends, and inter-spiritual wisdom for the life journey which includes a message by Chaplain of the College Catherine Quehl-Engel, a 1989 Cornell graduate.

Other events are also scheduled throughout the weekend.

Follow the event on social media with #CornellCGrad and look for the geofilter on Snapchat.