UofM to Hold Largest Commencement with 2,794 Graduates Saturday, May 6, at FedExForum
May 3, 2023 — The University of Memphis will recognize a record 2,794 graduates from spring 2023 with three commencement ceremonies at 10 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 6, at FedExForum. Mark Greaney, a 1992 UofM graduate, novelist and the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of The Gray Man series, will be the commencement speaker.
The new record eclipses the 2,713 UofM graduates in the spring 2022 commencement. There will also be 29 TigerLife Completion Awards presented Saturday.
All graduates and guests must arrive one hour prior for lineup. It is encouraged to arrive in the parking areas 90 minutes before each ceremony to help with traffic flow.
The 10 a.m. commencement includes the College of Communication & Fine Arts, College of Health Sciences, Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality & Resort Management, Loewenberg College of Nursing, School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, TigerLIFE Completion Awards Program and doctoral and master’s candidates in these areas. Doors open at 9 a.m. for graduates and guests.
The 1:30 p.m. commencement includes the College of Professional & Liberal Studies, Fogelman College of Business & Economics, Herff College of Engineering and doctoral and master’s candidates in these areas. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. for graduates and guests.
The 5 p.m. commencement includes the College of Arts & Sciences, College of Education, School of Public Health and doctoral, master’s and specialist candidates in these areas. Doors open at 4 p.m. for graduates and guests.
No tickets are required, and the event is free and open to the public. Parking is available in the FedExForum Garage on a first-come, first-served basis for $10. It must be paid via credit card ONLY.
Of the 2,794 degrees to be awarded, 1,659 are Bachelor’s, 196 Graduate Certificates, 99 Law, 85 Doctoral and 755 Master’s and Specialists.
Greaney’s 12th installment of The Gray Man series, Burner, was released this past February. He is also the author or co-author of seven Tom Clancy Jack Ryan novels as well as the co-author of the military thriller, Red Metal, and author of the 2022 action/adventure novel, Armored, which has been optioned for film by Sony Pictures.
His first published novel, the Gray Man, was adapted into a feature film by Netflix in 2022, starring Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans and Ana de Armas, and quickly became the fifth most-watched film in Netflix history. In research for his novels, Greaney, who lives in Memphis, has visited 39 countries, as well as military bases, intelligence agencies and other government facilities.
Watch Commencement Live: www.memphis.edu/commencement/live.