UW-Whitewater is set to celebrate the achievements of its newest graduates at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 16. The ceremony, presided over by Chancellor Corey A. King, is about two hours long and will be held at the Kachel Fieldhouse in the Williams Center. Over 620 students will cross the stage to receive degrees.

The graduating class includes three international students, 64 military veterans,  74 self-identified students with disabilities and 141 nontraditional students (undergraduate students who are 25 years or older).

This year’s commencement speaker is Barbara Kreisman and the student speaker is Patrice Achu. 

“Always think of your end goal,” said Achu. “College has to be a holistic experience. Going to classes and getting good grades is very important, but that’s not all there is to it. Like when it comes to once you leave college, what are the next steps that would set yourself apart from everyone else?”

Achu is earning a third degree from UW-Whitewater, which is a doctorate of business administration. The Cameroon native completed a BBA in accounting in 2010 and an MBA in project management in 2020. He is one of two Warhawks in school history to earn a DBA and two other degrees from UW-Whitewater.

“Being involved in leadership organizations, extracurricular activities and volunteering adds to the overall experience, which employers value a lot,” Achu said. “College gets difficult, especially when you’re young. Working yourself to get to the end goal and setting schedules for yourself will eventually get easier.” 

Graduating students are issued seven tickets in the form of pre-printed wristbands. Wristbands can be picked up from the Registrar’s Office between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. through Dec. 15. Wristbands can also be picked up at the Will Call box office on the second floor of the Williams Center starting at 8 a.m. on the day of the ceremony. All guests must be wearing wristbands to enter the fieldhouse. For those without wristbands, remote viewing is available in Timmerman Auditorium in Hyland Hall.

For those who cannot attend commencement, UWW-TV will broadcast commencement live online. More information about commencement and access to the live broadcast can be found at uww.edu/commencement.