Lincoln, Neb. —The University of Nebraska–Lincoln will confer a record number of degrees — about 3,550 — during a virtual graduation celebration on May 9.
Go Big Grad: A Husker Graduation Celebration will begin streaming at 9 a.m. on the commencement website. NET will broadcast the event live, as well. No registration is required. All undergraduate, master’s, professional, doctoral and College of Law graduates, as well as their family and friends, are invited to join.
The celebration will feature a “Dream Big” address from John Cook, head coach of Nebraska volleyball. Cook, who took over the program in 2000, has led Nebraska to four national championships (2000, 2006, 2015 and 2017), 12 conference titles and 18 top-10 final rankings. Under Cook, Nebraska has appeared in 19 NCAA regionals, nine semifinals and six finals. With 749 career wins, 588 at Nebraska, he is the fifth-winningest coach in NCAA volleyball history. He has twice been named AVCA Division I National Coach of the Year (2000 and 2005) and was inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame in 2017.
The celebration will also include appearances by special guests. At the end of the event, Chancellor Ronnie Green will officially confer degrees to students. Graduates will receive a complimentary mortarboard or tam in a box delivered before the event, allowing them to turn their tassels together as a class.
Students can share the excitement of the day by sharing their customized digital slide (available at the commencement website on May 9), hosting a virtual watch party with loved ones or using the hashtag #GoBigGrad on social media.
“Nebraska takes great pride in offering our students a welcoming, personal educational experience, and our commencement ceremonies are an extension of that,” said Vanessa Gorman, professor of history and chair of the university’s commencement committee. “We have one of the highest rates of attendance nationally — around 83% — so while it’s a disappointment to all of us that we can’t share this celebration in person, we want to provide students the closest thing to it.”
Diplomas will be mailed to graduates after May 9. New this year, May 2020 graduates will be able to download and share their digital diploma. Details will be available after May 9.
All May 2020 graduates are invited to participate in a future commencement ceremony, and those plans are in the works.
“We absolutely want to welcome all of these graduates to return in the future, once campus is reopened, to walk across the stage in cap and gown and have that once-in-a-lifetime moment to share with their friends and family,” Gorman said.
Additional questions can be emailed to commencement@unl.edu.