Con-GRAD-ulations Class of 2025!
Congratulations to the Graduate Class of 2025 who received their degrees from UC Davis Graduate Studies on June 12 at the University Credit Union Center on campus. In order to honor graduates more personally, two distinct ceremonies were organized by degree type with the Master's Ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. and the MFA and Doctoral Ceremony beginning at 3 p.m. We celebrated not only the hard work and dedication of our graduates, but also the support of family, friends, and mentors who have been part of this journey.
For the morning ceremony, 364 students graduated with their master's degree, while at the afternoon ceremony, 16 graduated with their Master of Fine Arts degree and 422 with their doctoral degrees, making a total of 802 students celebrating in front of nearly 5,000 attending loved ones. Special seating areas were reserved for graduating student parents to allow their children and families to celebrate this momentous milestone with their loved ones.
During both the Master's and MFA and Doctoral Ceremonies, Jean-Pierre Delplanque, Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies, gave a warm welcome to the graduates, friends, and families in attendance. He went on to say:
"Graduates, it is my honor to stand before you and say: Congratulations! I know the long hours, late nights, and intense research and study that have gone into earning this degree. And I can only imagine the pride that you feel having reached this final, ceremonial moment – even if a small voice in your head is also saying: 'I’m just glad it’s over now.'”
Towards the end of his remarks, Delplanque thanked friends, family members, and loved ones, giving a special recognition to all of the children of the graduating student parents and encouraged the children of the graduates to stand.
At the Master's Ceremony, Provost Mary Croughan spoke to the new graduates.
"I want to start today by acknowledging that we find ourselves in tumultuous times," said Croughan. "When you entered your graduate program, you likely had specific career-related goals and aspirations. You knew what you wanted to do when you finished your degree. But in the last few months, outside forces may have come into play and shifted the course of your study or your future plans. Changes in funding and opportunities may be giving you pause. Whether you feel like you are on-track or off-track, I am here today to reassure you that you are right where you are meant to be. No matter what you have had to overcome, or what lies ahead, you are here today, graduating from UC Davis. And we are here with you to recognize this
major milestone."
Afterwards, Delplanque invited Sundeep Dugar, President and Founder of the Graduate Alumni Network, to say a few words. Dugar encouraged the Graduate Class of 2025 to join the Graduate Alumni Network and stay connected.
"The experiences and relationships you’ve built here at UC Davis should continue and expand," Dugar said. "The network you create in the coming years will stand by you as you traverse through your professional journey. This is OUR network – for the Graduate Alumni, by the Graduate Alumni. So join, participate, converse, connect, opine, and lead. Let us build something lasting and impactful for ourselves, our network, our community, and the world."
During the MFA and Doctoral Ceremony, Chancellor Gary S. May shared his remarks.
"You are the innovators, researchers, scientists, artists, leaders and visionaries of tomorrow," said May. "The world needs you, more than ever. I see the people who will heal our planet, bridge the divides that separate us, and build a more just and equitable future for everyone, I’ve seen your empathy in times of struggle, your determination in moments of challenge, and your compassion in hours of injustice. Now, there is no limit to what you can achieve. The doors of opportunity are wide open, and we can’t wait to see what comes next."
Graduate Studies looks forward to the bright futures our graduates will create, and we are proud to have cultivated the best learning experience possible for our graduate students as they take this next step in their lives.
Cultivating Minds, Seeding Change
Speaking of next steps, next academic year, Graduate Studies will commemorate a huge milestone: 100 years of graduate education in Davis!
In the fall of 1925, the university’s first 12 graduate students came to Davis to study agriculture. Over the last century, those dozen graduate students working in a single discipline transformed into a community of more than 7,000 graduate students working across the disciplines and over 80,000 graduate alumni from around the globe. It's a remarkable story of growth, discovery, innovation and leadership. And it’s a story that all of our graduates and current students have helped write, and will continue to help write as we step into this new era.
But what does a century of graduate education, scholarship and impact look like? It looks like the work that our graduate students and graduate alumni are doing right now.
Among those graduating students participating in this year's commencement, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Hill '79, USAF (Ret) returned to campus 45 years after his formal graduation to walk in our ceremony. You can hear more about why he was unable to attend his own Commencement celebration back in 1979 and what this new opportunity means to him by visiting our 100th anniversary webpage. As well, current graduate students are encouraged to submit their own videos highlighting their scholarship and research through our "My 100" campaign to help Graduate Studies honor this centennial and showcase the impact of our graduate education community.
Watch the Master's Ceremony Recording