Convocation
2024 May Convocation Ceremonies
Gies graduates from August 2023, December 2023 and May 2024 are eligible to participate in the May 2024 Convocation Ceremony. Please note, graduates are only eligible to participate in the ceremony for their respective degree.
Master’s degree candidates with 8 or fewer hours remaining who expect to complete their degree requirements in August 2024, may participate in Convocation.
Deadline to register is April 26.
iDegree In-Person Convocation (iMBA, iMSA, iMSM)
Friday, May 10, 3 - 4:30 pm
State Farm Center
Undergraduate and Residential Graduate Program In-Person Convocation
Sunday, May 12, 9 - 11:30 am
State Farm Center
Livestreams will only be available at the time of the ceremony.
Welcome to the May 2024 Convocation Ceremony of Gies College of Business
Today is a joyous celebration for our community. We are exceptionally proud to have witnessed your successful completion of a rigorous curriculum; you have worked hard to earn an Illinois degree that will bring great opportunity and fulfillment to your life. The confidence you feel today is abundantly deserved.
As you ascend to the next experience of your life, be mindful of your responsibility to the community of family, friends, faculty, and alumni who helped you to reach this milestone and who will continue to support you throughout your future. They have given to you in the hope and expectation that your future deeds will boldly honor, enrich, and invigorate our community.
Carry the passion and integrity of your Illinois experience with you always. Proudly share what you have learned here and return with good fortune so that others may find their path marked in your footsteps.
Congratulations to the Class of 2024.
Jeffrey R. Brown
Dean and Josef and Margot Lakonishok Professor in Business
Gies College of Business
Commencement Speaker
Donald J. Edwards ‘88
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Flexpoint Ford, LLC
Donald J. Edwards founded Flexpoint Ford LLC, a private equity investment firm with $7 billion of assets under management, in 2005 and has served as Chief Executive Officer since that time. He began his private equity career in 1994 at GTCR, a leading Chicago-based private equity firm, where he was a Principal and Chairman of the Investment Committee. Prior to joining GTCR, Don was an investment banker at Lazard, Ltd., where he focused on mergers and acquisitions in financial institutions and other industries.
Don has served on the University of Illinois Board of Trustees since 2017, and as Board Chair since 2019. He is a trustee of the Museum of Contemporary Art (Chicago), a director of Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, and Chairman of the Finance and Audit Committees of the Board of the PGA of America. He previously served 10 years as a Commissioner of the Chicago Park District, and as a Director of World Business Chicago. He is a lifetime member of the University of Illinois Alumni Association, and he and his wife Anne (Gies '88) have endowed scholarships for Gies College of Business, the men's golf team at the University of Illinois, and Harvard Business School.
In 2020, Don and Anne gave a $10 million gift to the University, the largest ever by a trustee, to provide support to Gies Business and the Discovery Partners Institute, a purpose-driven, collaborative research institute established in Chicago by the University of Illinois.
Don received his bachelor's degree in finance, with highest honors, from Gies College of Business in 1988, earning Bronze Tablet honors from the university. He received his MBA from Harvard Business School, with Baker Scholar distinction, in 1994.
Special Thanks
A Special Thanks to the Office of the Dean, the Office of Advancement, the Office of Undergraduate Affairs, Graduate Programs, Office of Career and Professional Development, the Office of Marketing & Communications, the Convocation Committee, the Business Council Convocation Committee, and the Departments of Accountancy, Business Administration, Finance, and Gies Online.
State Farm Center Policies
A clear bag policy will be in effect for the Convocation Ceremony. Guests attending Convocation ceremonies will be permitted to carry one clear plastic or vinyl bag that does not exceed 12"x6"x12", or one clear drawstring bag not to exceed 12"x12", or one, one-gallon clear plastic or zip-lock bag. A small clutch no larger than 4.5"x7" may also be carried in addition to one clear bag.
For your safety and enjoyment, the following items are not permitted inside the event:
- Banners/signs
- Laser pointers
- Coolers
- Containers
- Alcoholic beverages
- Weapons
- Noisemakers
- Balloons
Additional details are available online.
Guest Tickets
Guests do not need to register to attend the Gies Convocation Ceremony. Tickets are not required for guests to attend the in-person ceremony. Seating is open and first-come, first-serve.
Parking
Parking is available in each of the parking lot quadrants surrounding State Farm Center, at no cost. The spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Photography
Each graduate will have their picture taken as they receive their diploma. Graduates will receive information on ordering proofs, directly from GradImages®, following the ceremony.
Requests and Accommodations
Guests
Parking for those with disabilities is available in each of the parking lot quadrants surrounding State Farm Center. The spaces are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. The circle drive areas located on the East & West side of the building and are available for drop-off and pick-up.
There are accessible seating areas throughout the State Farm Center, available on a first-come, first-serve basis; including companion seating. There will be State Farm Center staff at the entrances, who can help direct to accessible seating and/or answer any on-site questions.
Graduates:
If you will need accessibility-related accommodations in order to participate in this event, please indicate when registering for the ceremony.
University-wide Commencement Ceremony
May 11, 9:30 - 11:30 am, Memorial Stadium
Information for the University-wide Commencement Ceremony is available online. Graduates must register separately for this event. All questions should be directed to commencement@illinois.edu.
December 2024 Gies Convocation Ceremony
Information will be posted during Summer 2024.
Student Resources and Questions
Registration/Ceremony: If you have questions about registration or the ceremony, please contact our office at Gies-Convocation@illinois.edu.
Academic: If you have academic-related eligibility questions, undergraduate candidates should contact the Office of Undergraduate Affairs at undergrads@business.illinois.edu or 217-333-2740.
Master’s, MBA, and PhD candidates should contact their respective degree program office with questions.