April 27, 2011
For Immediate Release

University Marketing & Communications: Mike Rigert (801) 863-6807
Written by: Mike Rigert (801) 863-6807

Utah Valley University’s 70th Commencement on Friday will celebrate the institution’s largest graduating class ever with 4,325 graduates receiving 4,430 degrees ranging from career technology certificates to master degrees.

Commencement exercises begin at 10:30 a.m. at the UCCU Center on UVU’s Orem campus.

Robert C. Gay, co-founder and CEO of Huntsman Gay Global Capital and a microfinance philanthropist, will be the featured commencement speaker. Gay and local higher education advocates Joan Dixon and Hal Wing will be presented with honorary doctorates.

Convocations for UVU’s individual colleges and schools will be as follows: at 8 a.m. the College of Technology & Computing with be at the UCCU Center; the College of Science & Health, at the Physical Education Building; and the School of the Arts at the Sorensen Student Center. At 1 p.m. the College of Humanities & Social Sciences will hold convocation at the UCCU Center, and the School of Education will be at the Physical Education Building. At 3 p.m., the Woodbury School of Business will hold convocation at the UCCU Center, and University College will be at the Physical Education Building.

At commencement graduates will receive 81 certificates of completion, 1,906 associate degrees, 2,418 bachelor degrees and 25 master degrees.

UVU’s 2011 graduates represent 60 foreign countries and all 50 U.S. states and several territories, and are comprised of a multitude of ethnicities and backgrounds. The total number of graduates hailing from Utah is 3,666. The youngest graduate is 17 and the oldest is 72.

Media parking for commencement will be available in Lot U, located on the other opposite side of the parking booth in front of the UCCU Center. Due to traffic congestion on Interstate 15 due to construction and anticipated inclement weather, it is recommended that attendees allow extra travel time to arrive on time.

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About UVU

Utah Valley University is located in Orem, Utah, and is home to nearly 33,000 students. UVU began as a vocational school during World War II, and in the seven decades since has evolved into a technical school, community college, state college and, finally, a comprehensive regional teaching university. UVU is one of Utah’s largest institutions of higher learning and offers programs ranging from career training to high-demand master degrees, with emphasis on undergraduate education.