At 9 a.m. May 12, bagpipes will fill the air and the University of Idaho’s 116th graduating class will follow the procession down University Avenue to the Kibbie Dome, where the two-and-a-half-hour ceremony will commence.
The ceremony will start at 9:30 a.m. with a live stream available online for those unable to attend.
Dave Putensen, assistant registrar, said 1,356 students are expected to attend, up from 1,119 at last year’s commencement ceremony.
He said the event does not use a reservation system, but he estimates about 6,800 guests will attend.
“For planning purposes we use a 5 to 1 ratio,” Putensen said. “Although it really depends on who brings large families and who doesn’t.”
Immediately following the ceremony, each college will host a celebration reception. Locations are available on the university’s commencement website.
Graduating seniors also have the opportunity to donate to the senior gift.
Meredith Malek, annual giving program coordinator and adviser for the student foundation said the gift has been changed from the traditional bench or tree.
“We are instead asking seniors … to donate to any of the 2,500 programs,” Malek said. “We ask they donate to something meaningful to them and immediately when they do they will receive a spirit tassel for their donation of $20.12.”
Malek said if previous classes didn’t reach a fundraising goal to purchase a tangible gift, which happened often, organizers didn’t have anything to do with the money. Now they are focusing purely on participation.
“Currently for this school year we have about 120 seniors that have already given about $2,500,” Malek said. “If we get 10 more seniors it will be the biggest year ever with the most participants.”
Malek said she hopes donors find something they are passionate about and use their donation as a thank you.
For more information on the ceremony visit uidaho.edu/commencement.
Katy Sword can be reached at [email protected]