The ceremonies, hosted at Neville Arena, will see the conferral of 5,012 degrees across eight separate events. These include a dedicated ceremony for doctoral and master’s degree recipients, six undergraduate ceremonies and professional ceremonies for the Harrison College of Pharmacy and the College of Veterinary Medicine. President Roberts will lead the ceremonies, which will also recognize students graduating with academic honors and feature the commencement speakers.
Kirsty Coventry, a 2006 alumna, former Auburn swimmer, and Zimbabwe’s current Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts, and Recreation, will serve as the commencement speaker for the Friday evening, Saturday morning, and Saturday afternoon ceremonies. A global role model for women and young athletes, Coventry is also a member of the International Olympic Committee and has chaired the organization’s Athletes’ Commission since 2018.
Sharing the speaking duties with Coventry is Phillip McWane, chairman of McWane Industries—an Alabama-based manufacturer committed to providing high-quality products for clean drinking water worldwide. McWane, a 1980 graduate of Auburn’s Harbert College of Business, leads the multi-billion-dollar enterprise known for its safety practices, sustainability efforts, and ethical standards across its 25 manufacturing locations worldwide. As the fourth-generation leader of McWane Industries, the Birmingham native oversees the company’s extensive product portfolio and champions initiatives in education and healthcare.
The spring commencement ceremonies commence on Friday, May 3, at 5 p.m. with the Graduate School. The ceremonies continue Saturday, May 4, featuring combined events for the Colleges of Agriculture, Architecture, Design and Construction, Human Sciences, and Nursing at 8 a.m., followed by the Colleges of Education, Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, and Sciences and Mathematics at 1 p.m., and the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering at 6 p.m. On Sunday, May 5, the College of Liberal Arts holds its ceremony at 1 p.m., followed by the Harbert College of Business at 6 p.m. Auburn’s commencement weekend concludes with professional ceremonies for the Harrison College of Pharmacy and the College of Veterinary Medicine on Monday, May 6, at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Tickets are required for entry, with the exception of the professional ceremonies, and all graduates and guests must use the main entrance to access Neville Arena; the Scholarship Entrance is reserved for those with accessibility needs. A comprehensive list of prohibited items and parking details is available online. Guests without tickets can watch the ceremonies via livestream on the Commencement Office website. For additional information, including details about what graduates and guests should be aware of during the ceremonies, visit the commencement website.
During the weekend, Auburn will confer 3,905 bachelor’s degrees, 727 master’s degrees, 134 doctorates, 4 specialist degrees, 121 Doctor of Pharmacy and 121 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Since its inception in 1856, Auburn has granted more than 327,000 degrees.
A livestream of all ceremonies can be found at aub.ie/gradlivestream. Graduates with questions are encouraged to read the 24 Things to Know for Commencement.
