By Michael Miller
University of Cincinnati
Communications
The University of Cincinnati celebrated a record-setting spring commencement on Friday and Saturday in ceremonies at Fifth Third Arena.
UC recognized a record 7,080 graduates at its two-day celebration, which began Friday with a Doctoral Hooding and Master’s Recognition Ceremony. UC celebrated two undergraduate ceremonies on Saturday.
UC conferred 7,188 degrees to 7,080 graduates, based on preliminary applications. (Some grads have earned multiple degrees.) UC presented 541 associate degrees; 4,600 bachelor’s degrees; 1,477 master’s degrees; 270 doctoral degrees and 300 professional degrees.
UC recognized a record 1,201 first-generation college graduates. About 17% of this year’s class are the first in their families to graduate from college. Another 14% transferred from another university. UC also celebrated a record number of online degrees awarded at 894.
Graduates hail from 83 countries across six continents. The spring class features students from all 50 states. But 71% of UC’s 2022 graduates are from Ohio. The class represents 78 of Ohio’s 88 counties.
The youngest student grad, earning an associate degree, is 17. The oldest is 66.
The average age of a student earning a bachelor’s degree this year is 23. About 58% of spring graduates are women. And 195 students are U.S. military veterans or the dependents of veterans. The spring class includes 190 students who graduated from Cincinnati Public Schools.