UIC Commencement, May 3 – 7

The University of Illinois at Chicago celebrates the Class of 2017 during its commencement ceremonies May 3–7.

Sheryl Underwood, comedian, UIC graduate and host of CBS daytime show “The Talk,” and Carlos Tortolero, founder and president of the National Museum of Mexican Art, will receive honorary degrees from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Miguel Ángel Mancera Espinosa, the mayor of Mexico City, will receive an honorary degree from the College of Medicine. Kevin Lynch, vice president of technology at Apple, will receive an honorary degree from the College of Engineering.

This year’s speakers include a Cook County Commissioner, the commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, and Michael Jordan’s personal trainer.

More than 5,300 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 is the schedule:

Honors College: May 3, 7 p.m.  UIC Forum. Speaker: Rudy Valdez, an aftermarket systems engineering lead for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Nursing: May 4, 1 p.m. UIC Pavilion. Speaker: Afaf Ibrahim Meleis, professor of nursing and sociology at the University of Pennsylvania.

Applied Heath Sciences: May 4, 2 p.m. UIC Forum. Speaker: Tim Grover, owner of Attack Athletics and Michael Jordan’s personal trainer, who has also trained Hall-of-Famers and champions such as Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade and hundreds of other star athletes.

Education: May 4, 6:30 p.m. UIC Pavilion. Speaker: Gloria Ladson-Billings, scholar and distinguished professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Pharmacy: May 4, 7:30 p.m. UIC Forum. Speaker: Russell Secter, president of Regennera Therapeutics.

Social Work: May 5, 9 a.m. UIC Pavilion. Speaker: James Gleeson, UIC associate professor of social work.

Urban Planning and Public Affairs: May 5, 10 a.m. UIC Forum. Speaker: Cook County Commissioner Jesús “Chuy” García.

Medicine: May 5, 2 p.m. UIC Pavilion. Speaker: Pedro “Joe” Greer Jr., professor of medicine at Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. Miguel Ángel Mancera Espinosa, the mayor of Mexico City, will receive an honorary degree during the ceremony.

Public Health: May 5, 3:30 p.m. UIC Forum. Speaker: Julie Morita, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health.

Business Administration: May 6, 9 a.m. UIC Pavilion. Speaker: Donald Hermanek, chief client officer for Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc.

Dentistry: May 6, 10 a.m. UIC Forum. Speaker: Clark Stanford, dean of the UIC College of Dentistry.

Engineering: May 6, 2 p.m. UIC Pavilion. Trina Roy, a senior software developer at Pixar Animation Studios. Kevin Lynch, vice president of technology at Apple, will receive an honorary degree during the ceremony.

Architecture, Design, and the Arts: May 6, 7 p.m. UIC Pavilion. Speaker: Poet, author and educator Kevin Coval.

Liberal Arts and Sciences: May 7, 10 a.m. UIC Pavilion. Speaker: Henry Bienen, president of The Poetry Foundation, who served as Northwestern University’s president from 1995 to 2009 and continues to serve as president emeritus. Sheryl Underwood, comedian, UIC graduate and host of CBS daytime show “The Talk,” and Carlos Tortolero, founder and president of the National Museum of Mexican Art, will receive honorary degrees.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is UIC’s largest college commencement, with more than 1,400 graduates. Approximately 7,900 graduates and guests are expected to fill the UIC Pavilion to capacity May 7.

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.