UCI to celebrate more than 8,000 in-person graduates in June

 

POSTED ON Apr 15, 2022

 

Many academic institutions are holding their first in-person commencement since the pandemic. For the University of California, Irvine (UCI), its June ceremony at Angel Stadium in Anaheim will be the first all-campus commencement since 2014.

According to UCI News, more than 8,000 graduating students are expected to attend the event on June 15.

“Having our 2022 commencement celebration at Angel Stadium of Anaheim is our chance to celebrate, as an entire campus, the accomplishments of our graduating students and their families,” Chancellor Howard Gillman said in a statement. “They have demonstrated their resilience and perseverance over the last two difficult years, succeeding in and out of the classroom, and are prepared and eager to be our future workforce and leaders.”

Graduates from the classes of 2020 and 2021 – most of whom were unable to attend in-person commencement ceremonies – have been asked to submit an interest form to participate in the Angel Stadium event.

More than 45 percent of undergraduates receiving bachelor’s degrees at UCI are first-generation college students. This year, an estimated 2,012 Latinos will be granted degrees.

Kal Penn, actor, writer, producer, and former associate director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, will be the commencement speaker. From 2009 to 2011, he took a sabbatical from acting to serve in the White House as the president’s liaison to young Americans, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders, as well as the arts community. In this role, he worked on a range of issues, including the Affordable Care Act, Pell Grants, arts and culture programs, the DREAM Act, and rapid responses to the BP oil spill and an earthquake in Haiti.

Actor, writer & former White House aide @kalpenn will speak at commencement for UCI’s Class of 2022 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. More than 8,000 graduates will be attending the June 15 event with their friends & families.🎓🎉💙💛 #UCIGrad #UCI2022 https://t.co/zx1q19aDDw

— UC Irvine (@UCIrvine) April 4, 2022

UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degrees. It is Orange County’s largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide.