UIC Commencement May 4-8

The University of Illinois at Chicago celebrates the Class of 2016 during its commencement ceremonies May 4-8. UIC alumna and Smithsonian Institution curator emerita Cheryl R. Ganz will receive an honorary degree from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

This year’s speakers include a talk show co-host, a business executive, and a Cook County commissioner.

Sheryl Underwood, a 1987 UIC graduate, comedian and co-host of CBS’ “The Talk”; Jesús “Chuy” García, UIC alumnus and Cook County commissioner; John J. Tracy, chief technology officer of the Boeing Company, and other civic and business leaders will address graduates at various college ceremonies.

More than 6,600 degrees will be awarded at 14 college ceremonies.

College commencements take place at the UIC Pavilion, 525 S. Racine Ave., and the UIC Forum, 725 W. Roosevelt Road. Here’s the schedule:

Honors College: May 4, 7 p.m., UIC Forum. Speaker: Dr. Janeta Fong Tansey, a diplomat of the American Board of Integrative and Holistic Medicine and a board-certified psychiatrist.

Nursing: May 5, 1 p.m., UIC Pavilion. Speaker: Diana J. Mason, professor of nursing and co-founder and co-director of the Center for Health, Media, and Policy at Hunter College and professor at the City University of New York.

Applied Health Sciences: May 5, 2 p.m., UIC Forum. Speaker: Haben Girma, the first deaf-blind graduate of Harvard Law School and an attorney with Disability Rights Advocates.

Education: May 5, 6:30 p.m., UIC Pavilion. Speaker: Kwame Alexander, poet, educator and author.

Pharmacy: May 5, 7:30 p.m., UIC Forum. Speaker: George Riedl, UIC alumnus, and senior vice president and president, Walmart health and wellness.

Jane Addams College of Social Work: May 6, 9 a.m., UIC Pavilion. Speaker: Jesús “Chuy” García, UIC alumnus and Cook County Commissioner.

Urban Planning and Public Affairs: May 6, 10 a.m., UIC Forum. Speaker: Andrew Mooney, former commissioner of the City of Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development.

Medicine: May 6, 2 p.m., UIC Pavilion. Speaker: Dr. Robert Folberg, founding dean of the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine.

Public Health: May 6, 3:30 p.m., UIC Forum. Speaker: Kimberly Wasserman, director of organizing and strategy at Little Village Environmental Justice Organization.

Business Administration: May 7, 9 a.m. UIC Pavilion. Speakers: Ricardo Estrada, UIC alumnus and member of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees; and Joseph V. Tortorice, Jr., founder of Jason’s Deli and president of Deli Management.

Dentistry: May 7, 10 a.m., UIC Forum. Speaker: Clark Stanford, dean of the UIC College of Dentistry and UIC distinguished professor.

Engineering: May 7, 2 p.m., UIC Pavilion. Speaker: John J. Tracy, chief technology officer of The Boeing Company.

Architecture, Design, and the Arts: May 7, 7 p.m., UIC Pavilion. Speaker: Antonia Contro, executive director of Marwen, a Chicago-based visual arts nonprofit.

Liberal Arts and Sciences: May 8, 10 a.m., UIC Pavilion. Speaker: Sheryl Underwood, UIC alumna, comedian and co-host of CBS’ daytime show “The Talk.” Cheryl R. Ganz, Smithsonian Institution curator emerita, will receive the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters. Ganz received her doctoral degree in history from UIC.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is UIC’s largest college commencement, with more than 1,900 graduates. Approximately 7,000 graduates and guests are expected to fill the UIC Pavilion to capacity May 8.

Commencement ceremonies and receptions.

With 29,000 students, UIC is Chicago’s largest university and has the nation’s largest medical school. UIC has one of the most diverse student bodies in the U.S. and is among the nation’s leading universities in federal research funding.