During the ceremony, a group of 155 students will receive their Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. Of the graduating class, about 40% have a Dutch nationality, and in total 37 nationalities are represented. Many of the graduates are planning to start Master’s degrees and will study in the furthest reaches of the globe or stay close to Middelburg. Some graduates have chosen to take a break from studying and explore first. In the future, we should be able to find former students from Washington to Cape Town and Rotterdam to Geneva. We wish the graduates all the best!
Commencement address
The commencement address will be by Tracie D. Hall. Tracie Hall is a public scholar, strategist and librarian who served as the Executive Director of the American Library Association (ALA). The first Black woman to helm ALA in its nearly 150-year history, Hall was most recently Visiting Fellow at the University of London and looks forward to joining the faculty of the University of Washington Information School in Seattle as Distinguished Practitioner in Residence this fall. Hall has served in numerous library and arts leadership positions nationwide. Other posts have included Culture Program Director at The Joyce Foundation where she was recognized for creating numerous programs in support of arts-based community and economic development; Deputy Commissioner of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events where she received citations for her work to expand arts, fresh food, and social services access; Vice President of Strategy and Organizational Development at Queens Library where during her tenure she founded the NYC Early Learning Network; Community Investment Strategist and Community Investor for the Boeing Company’s Global Corporate Citizenship division; Assistant Dean of Dominican University’s Graduate School of Library and Information Science; other library positions at the Hartford Public Library, New Haven Free Public Library, and Seattle Public Library and non-profit and public sector roles across the country.
Holding dual bachelor’s degrees from University of California at Santa Barbara, and master’s degrees from the Yale University School of International and Area Studies and the University of Washington School of Information, Hall’s work in library and arts administration has focused on advancing early and adult literacy, expanding broadband access, advocating for library and literacy services for people who are incarcerated. In 2022, Hall became only the second librarian to be honored with a National Book Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. In April 2023, TIME Magazine named Hall to its annual TIME100 list of the most influential people in the world. Last September, Hall followed Rep. John Lewis and journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones in receiving the medal for Freedom of Speech and Free Expression from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Institute.
Interludes
Preceding the commencement address, the University College Roosevelt Choir will perform several songs. Furthermore, several musical and poetry interludes will liven up the ceremony. These interludes are preformed by graduates and students.
Valedictorian
Sebastian Dooley has been chosen as Valedictorian of his year. With a near perfect GPA in three years, and impactful contributions to the UCR student community, he will deliver the Valedictorian Address.
How to watch
The weather forecasts have been extremely volatile the last few weeks and the ceremony and reception have been moved indoors to the Nieuwe Kerk, Onder den Toren 1. Water bottles will be provided for all attendees. Guests with a ticket have free choice of seat within the area reserved for guests. Only guests with a ticket will be allowed into the church. With the move to the church, we are now able to livestream the ceremony for anyone without a ticket. The ceremony will be available on kerkdienstgemist.nl.
We look forward to a lively ceremony!