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Fall graduates of the University of Alabama at Birmingham will participate in two commencement exercises Friday, Dec. 8.

This semester, 1,179 students are expected to walk in the ceremonies, which will be held Friday morning and Friday afternoon in Bartow Arena. At least 1,911 students are eligible to graduate.

The first ceremony, for all graduate students, including master’s, educational specialist and doctoral, will be at 10 a.m. Dec. 8. For fall 2023, the UAB Graduate School will confer the university’s highest degrees on 209 students from 20 states and 15 countries, representing 36 disciplines.

The second ceremony, for all undergraduate students, will be at 3 p.m. Dec. 8.

Watch the UAB livestream of the ceremonies on Facebook and YouTube. Use the hashtag #UABClassof2023.

Full details about the ceremonies are available on the UAB commencement website. All participating students are asked to wear flat shoes. There is no limit on the number of guests who can attend the ceremonies, and parking is free. Thirteenth Street South between Sixth Avenue and University Boulevard will be closed to through traffic Friday.

Chris Minnix, Ph.D., director of the Blazer Core Curriculum and associate professor of English, will carry the mace for both ceremonies. In recognition of his collaborative work across campus, Minnix earned the 2023 Sam Brown Bridge Builder Award. The award recognizes a faculty member who engages in interdisciplinary, collaborative efforts across campus in ways that embody the vision, character and bridge-building talents vital to the future of UAB.

The Faculty Brass Quintet from the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Music will perform, and The Alabama Pipes and Drums will lead the procession for both ceremonies. Music students Hayden Finney of Kimberly, Alabama, and Rachel Thomas of Gardendale, Alabama, will sing the national anthem and the UAB alma mater for the graduate and undergraduate ceremonies, respectively. Both are pursuing Bachelor of Arts degrees in choral music education.