Newswise — Irvine, Calif., June 7, 2023 —More than 8,200 students and their families will attend University of California, Irvine commencement ceremonies between Friday, June 16, and Tuesday, June 20, in the campus’s Bren Events Center.
Overall, UCI will grant 8,966 degrees to 8,507 undergraduates this academic year. Additionally, 1,815 master’s degrees and 393 doctoral degrees will be awarded. And in a testament to the school’s dedication to access and affordability, 46 percent of those receiving bachelor’s degrees are first-generation college students. This large percentage of traditionally underserved students is one reason why UCI has twice earned the No. 1 spot in a New York Times ranking of universities “doing the most for the American dream.”
“This graduating class highlights how well UCI is serving the people of our state by offering a world-class education to the best and brightest students, regardless of their financial circumstances, and acting as a powerful engine of upward economic mobility,” said UCI Chancellor Howard Gillman.
Graduates will also benefit from the high value of a UCI education. Forbes has ranked UCI No. 1 in the country among public universities for “best value.” And U.S. News & World Report currently rates it the eighth-best public university in America. Money magazine has named UCI No. 3 among the “best colleges in the U.S.” And in the 2019 Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education rankings of the nation’s universities, UCI placed first for offering an inclusive, supportive learning environment.
In addition, the graduation data validates UCI’s continued status as a Hispanic-serving institution, a federal designation awarded to universities where at least 25 percent of undergraduates identify as Latino and at least half of all students get financial aid. This year, UCI will grant bachelor’s degrees to 2,114 Latinos, a number that has steadily increased for the past decade.
A schedule of graduation events, including cultural celebrations, is available on the UCI commencement website. Degrees will be conferred at 11 ceremonies over four days, with the following breakdown:
Here are the stories of three outstanding UCI graduates:
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu.
Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus ISDN line to interview UCI faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UCI news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at communications.uci.edu/for-journalists.
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https://news.uci.edu/2023/06/07/46-percent-of-uc-irvine-graduates-receiving-bachelors-degrees-are-first-generation-students/
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