Graduation information for the Class of 2017
Rutgers–New Brunswick's 251st commencement is this Sunday, May 14, beginning at 10 a.m. at the High Point Solutions Stadium on Busch campus.
This year's commencement features keynote speaker Steven Van Zandt, a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, along with former Rutgers University Student Assembly (RUSA) president Justin Schulberg, a member of the Class of 2017.
The University will be presenting an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts to Van Zandt and a Doctor of Science To Harvey J. Makadon, an LGBTQ health care advocate and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, according to a press release.
The commencement will be held at the stadium rain or shine.
The University is expecting a crowd as large as 50,000 people, with an estimated 17.729 graduates along with family members and friends, according to a press release.
Travelers should expect delays on local streets and on Route 18 surrounding the New Brunswick and Piscataway areas, including College Avenue, George Street, River Road, Hoes Lane, Metlars Lane and the John Lynch and Landing Lane bridges.
Those driving to commencement should display their hangtags for designated parking lots. Shuttle buses also begin running at 7 a.m. from the Livingston campus Orange Parking Zone and College Avenue White Parking Zones. Those without a hangtag can pay $5 at the cash lots on Livingston campus or park in Downtown New Brunswick and take the shuttle from the Albany Street train station, according to Rutgers' parking guidelines.
The Livingston campus shuttle stop is located at the Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC) and an additional College Avenue shuttle stop is in front of the College Avenue gymnasium.
The School of Arts and Science's convocation will be held at 12:30 p.m. in the stadium following the Rutgers–New Brunswick commencement.
The schedule of graduation ceremonies over the next few days provided by Rutgers' Office of Media Relations is as follows:
DOUGLASS RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE
Saturday, May 13, 10 a.m.
Location: Voorhees Chapel, Douglass campus, New Brunswick
Speaker: Christiana Foglio (Douglass College ’84), CEO of Community Investment Strategies
*The Douglass Convocation has been moved indoors due to the inclement weather prediction for tomorrow. Only one guest is permitted into the ceremony in the chapel, and other guests will be accommodated in other locations. For more instructions, see the Douglass Residential College's Convocation details.
SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT AND LABOR RELATIONS
Saturday, May 13, 1 p.m.
Location: Louis Brown Athletic Center, 83 Rockafeller Rd., Livingston campus, Piscataway
Speaker: Aaron Fichtner, acting commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES
Saturday, May 13, 4 p.m.
Location: College Avenue Gymnasium, 130 College Ave., New Brunswick
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY-NEW BRUNSWICK COMMENCEMENT
Sunday, May 14, 10 a.m.
Location: High Point Solutions Stadium, Busch campus, Piscataway
Speakers: Steven Van Zandt (honorary Doctor of Fine Arts recipient); Justin Schulberg, former Rutgers University Student Assembly president.
SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
Sunday, May 14, 12:30 p.m.
Location: High Point Solutions Stadium, Busch campus, Piscataway
Speaker: Peter March, executive dean of the School of Arts and Sciences
For information about individual academic department celebrations, contact the departments directly.
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
Sunday, May 14, 1 p.m.<wbr><wbr>
Location: Louis Brown Athletic Center, 83 Rockafeller Rd., Livingston campus, Piscataway
SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Monday, May 15, 10 a.m.<wbr>
Location: Lawn near College Pond (“Passion Puddle”), George H. Cook campus, New Brunswick
Rain: Louis Brown Athletics Center, 83 Rockafeller Rd., Livingston campus, Piscataway
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
Monday, May 15, 3 p.m.
Location: Louis Brown Athletic Center, 83 Rockafeller Rd., Livingston campus, Piscataway
Speakers: Cathryn Potter, dean, and Richard Edwards, former dean and current chancellor, Rutgers University–New Brunswick
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Monday, May 15, 4:30 p.m.
Location: College Avenue Gymnasium, 130 College Ave. New Brunswick
ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON MEDICAL SCHOOL
Monday, May 15, 7 p.m.
Location: State Theatre, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick
Speaker: Barry H. Ostrowsky, president and chief executive officer, RWJBarnabas Health
ERNEST MARIO SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
Tuesday, May 16, 10 a.m.
Location: College Avenue Gymnasium, 130 College Ave., New Brunswick
Speaker: Ernest Mario, Class of 1961. In 2002, the college was renamed the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, in recognition of Mario’s visionary leadership in the pharmaceutical industry and extraordinary support for the school.
ROTC COMMISSIONING CEREMONY–ARMY
Tuesday, May 16, 10 a.m.
Location: College Avenue Student Center, Multipurpose Room, 126 College Ave., New Brunswick
Speaker: Brig. Gen. Steven Ferrari, U.S. Army; commander, 42nd Infantry Division, Troy, New York
ROTC COMMISSIONING CEREMONY – AIR FORCE
Wednesday, May 17, 11:30 a.m.
Location: Cook Student Center multipurpose room, 59 Biel Rd., New Brunswick
Speaker: Col. Mark C. Anarumo, U.S. Air Force
ROTC COMMISSIONING CEREMONY – NAVY
Wednesday, May 17, 11:30 a.m.
Location: College Avenue Student Center multipurpose room, 126 College Ave., New Brunswick
Speaker: Retired Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert, U.S. Navy; former chief of naval operations 2011–2015. U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1975
SCHOOL OF NURSING
Thursday, May 18, 10 a.m.
Location: New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St., Newark
Speaker: Rita Smith, senior vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer, Jersey City Medical Center-RWJBarnabas Health, Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, Class of 2008
Editor's Note: For more details and graduation ceremonies at the Rutgers–Camden and Rutgers–Newark campuses, click here. For more information on arrival times, security information and parking, click here.