The Undergraduate Biology Graduation Recognition Ceremony

This ceremony will honor students planning to graduate in Summer 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025.

Graduates should arrive by 1:45 p.m. and will check in at the Anschutz Pavilion. Students can access Anschutz Pavillion via Anderson Family Strength and Conditioning Center (see map below of where to enter). The closest parking lots are the Allen Fieldhouse parking garage, Lot 72 (east of the Burge Union and Grey-Little Hall), and Lot 54 (between Green Hall and Murphy Hall).

We will have ushers to meet you at the door and direct you to the student check-in table inside Anschutz Pavilion. When you check in, you'll receive a card with your name, majors/minors, and phonetic spelling. You'll keep this card during the ceremony and hand it to the person reading names when you approach the stage.

Please note that Anschutz Pavillion and Allen Fieldhouse will be very warm. We strongly encourage graduates to wear light clothing under their gowns. There will also not be a place for graduates to store purses or water bottles during the ceremony, so please leave these items with your guests. We will have plastic water bottles available for graduates in Anschutz Pavillion before the ceremony.

Graduates will process into the Allen Fieldhouse from Wagnon-Parrott Athletic Center and be seated on the fieldhouse floor. Graduates may line up in any order.

Please wear your graduation cap and gown. Please note that Anschutz Pavillion and Allen Fieldhouse will be very warm. We strongly encourage graduates to wear light clothing under their gowns. There will also not be a place for graduates to store purses or water bottles during the ceremony, so please leave these items with your guests. We will have plastic water bottles available for graduates in Anschutz Pavillion before the ceremony.

The ceremony typically lasts 1 hour.  We will have opening remarks, recognition of the “Most Impactful Professors,” recognition of biology departmental honors candidates, senior biology scholarship recipients, recognition of graduates, and closing remarks. 

You will have your portrait taken by KU’s official Commencement photographers before your name and degree(s)are read and you shake hands with biology faculty. 

There is no limit to the number of guests each graduate may have attend. No tickets are needed for the biology graduation. Please note that Allen Fieldhouse will be very warm. We strongly encourage guests to wear light clothing and bring water. Concession stands will also be open in the fieldhouse.

Parking is complimentary on Commencement weekend.  There are surface parking lots across from Allen Fieldhouse in Lot 90, Lot 72, and Allen Fieldhouse parking garage is also an option north of Allen Fieldhouse (see campus map).  Accessible parking is location in Lot 71.

Graduates will fill out accessibility requests for themselves or their guests in the RSVP form. Once the RSVP form is received, Maria Losito will reach out to the graduate to make arrangements for accommodations. We recommend guests with accommodations enter Allen Fieldhouse through the south entrance, via Gate 10. There is accessible seating on the main floor of Allen Fieldhouse, and also an elevator at the south end of Allen Fieldhouse to access the accessible seating on the second floor. Accessible/limited mobility parking is located in Lot 71 south of Allen Fieldhouse. 

Students must apply to graduate on-line by signing into the Enroll & Pay system.

The deadline for submitting the Application for Degree (AFD) is as follows; students are urged to submit their AFD during the semester before they plan to graduate:

• Spring – March 1 (to guarantee inclusion in the official Commencement program, students should turn in AFD by March 1)
• Summer – July 15
• Fall – November 3

If you do not have a job, or plans to attend graduate school, and are not sure what careers you can pursue with a biology degree, please make an appointment with a career coach in the University Career Center by calling 785-864-3624. Career coaches are available to meet with you up to 6 months after your graduation.

B.A. Biochemistry, B.S. Biochemistry, B.A. Biology, B.S. Biology (Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology; Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology), B.A. Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, B.S. Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, B.A. Human Biology (Anthropology; Applied Behavioral Science; Biology; Psychology; and Speech-Language-Hearing), B.A. Microbiology, B.S. Microbiology, B.A. Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, B.S. Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, B.S. Molecular Biosciences.