Photography
Livestream
About the event
The UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media will hold its Spring Commencement ceremony in Carmichael Arena at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 7, 2016.
Cokie Roberts, a political commentator for ABC and senior news analyst for National Public Radio, will deliver the commencement address.
The Saturday ceremony is a change over previous years in which the school has held its ceremony on Sunday afternoon — and allows students, faculty and staff to celebrate Mother’s Day with their families.
No tickets are required, and there is no limit for attendees. Graduates are welcome to invite as many family members and friends as they wish. The ceremony typically lasts 1.5 to 2 hours.
The University-wide commencement ceremony will be held in Kenan Stadium at 9 a.m. on Sunday, May 8, 2016. More information on the University ceremony is available at commencement.unc.edu.
Program
Processional
Welcome
Susan King, Dean
Address
Cokie Roberts, ABC News political commentator and National Public Radio contributing senior news analyst
Recognition of graduates
Charlie Tuggle, Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies
Heidi Hennink-Kaminski, Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Studies
Faculty Marshals: Lois Boynton and Terence Oliver
Recessional
About Cokie Roberts
Cokie Roberts, a political commentator for ABC and senior news analyst for National Public Radio, will deliver the commencement address for the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media on May 7, 2016.
From 1996-2002, Roberts and Sam Donaldson co-anchored the weekly ABC interview program "This Week." In her more than 40 years in broadcasting, she has won countless awards, including three Emmys. Roberts has been inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame, and was also cited by the American Women in Radio and Television as one of the 50 greatest women in the history of broadcasting.
"Cokie Roberts brings a reporter’s experience and skill to her analysis of Washington events that has made her commentaries on NPR’s Morning Edition each Monday a must-listen event," said Susan King, dean of the school. "Having grown up in Washington as the daughter of one of the top leaders of Congress, she understands the culture and history of the nation’s capital. In this presidential election year, Cokie will offer students a memorable graduation send off that is journalistic, historically-grounded and inspiring."
Roberts is also a best-selling author. Her number one bestseller, "We Are Our Mothers’ Daughters," is an account of women’s roles and relationships throughout American history. Her other bestselling books — "Founding Mothers," published in 2004 and "Ladies of Liberty" in 2008 — are histories of women in America’s founding era.
Roberts, along with her husband, Steven Roberts, writes a weekly column syndicated in newspapers around the country by United Media. They also are contributing editors to USA Weekend Magazine, and in 2011 they published "Our Haggadah: Uniting Traditions for Interfaith Families." Their earlier collaboration, "From this Day Forward," is an account of their more than 40-year marriage and other marriages in American history and immediately went onto The New York Times bestseller list.
Cokie Roberts holds more than 25 honorary degrees and serves on the boards of numerous nonprofit institutions. In 2003, President Bush appointed Roberts to the Council on Service and Civic Participation.
In 2008, the Library of Congress named her a “Living Legend,” making her one of the few Americans to attain that honor.
Photography
Graduates can order professional photographs taken by Photo Specialties during the ceremony. Photo Specialties will contact students when the photos are available.
Parking
Suggested Public Parking:
Cobb Deck will be available for general parking beginning at noon Saturday and is first-come, first-served. Cobb Parking Deck is located off Raleigh Street. The Bell Tower Deck will become available for general parking at 1 p.m. Saturday. The Bell Tower Deck is located off South Road near the Bell Tower.
Suggested Disability Parking:
Guests or students with a disability permit or plate are welcome to park in South Road metered parking spots. After 11 a.m., additional spots will be made available for the disabled in the School of Government Deck, off of South Road.
For any additional questions, please contact the Department of Transportation & Parking or Communications and Engagement Coordinator Will Rimer at (919) 843-8299 or rimerwp@unc.edu.
For students
It is extremely important that students assemble in alphabetical order no later than 2:45 p.m. on the concourse outside Carmichael Arena’s entrance “D” to line up for the procession.
For more information
Ample handicap accessible seating will be available in Carmichael, and reservations are not required.
If you require other accommodations, please contact Communications and Engagement Coordinator Will Rimer at (919) 843-8299 or rimerwp@unc.edu at least two weeks in advance so the appropriate arrangements can be made. (We will make our best faith effort to accommodate requests submitted after this timeframe.)
Start Here / Never Stop
The historic Class of 2015 was the last to graduate from the Hussman School of Journalism and Media. The members of that class joined a community of accomplished alumni to hold journalism and mass communication degrees from Carolina.
These graduates and the alumni that came before them — led by our distinguished faculty — have made our school a premier, modern media school. To reflect this, we became the School of Media and Journalism on July 1, 2015.
The school’s national reputation is grounded in the quality of our graduates, their drive to be the best at what they do, and their commitment to the generations of students that follow in their footsteps through the school.