Graduation
Celebrations
Welcome graduates, families, and friends!
Join family, friends, faculty members and classmates at Foster graduation celebrations, where the Foster School will honor undergraduate and graduate degree recipients. Find program-specific details for each graduation event below.
Foster celebrations are separate from the University of Washington Commencement Ceremony, which is on June 8, 2024.
Undergraduate Graduation Ceremony
The date of the 2024 Foster Undergraduate Graduation will be Sunday, June 2, 2024. The ceremony will take place from 1-3pm in Alaska Airlines Arena in Hec Edmundson Pavilion.
View the Foster Undergraduate Graduation Celebration live stream here.
How to walk in the Foster Undergraduate Graduation Celebration:
1) Apply to Graduate by the April 12 deadline. We can only put those who have officially applied to graduate with the registrar into the program. You apply to graduate with your Assigned Adviser in Foster.
2) RSVP for the Foster Undergraduate Graduation Celebration. The RSVP form will open early in spring quarter. If you applied to graduate, a link will be sent to your email. The deadline to RSVP to walk in the ceremony is Friday, May 24 at 11:59 pm.
Read our 2024 Graduation Celebration FAQs for more event details.
MAILED GRADUATION INVITATIONS
Graduating seniors: The deadline to request a physical graduation invitation card mailed to you or your family was Friday, May 3, 2024.
2024 Keynote Speaker
Jenna Johnson
President of Patagonia, Inc.
Jenna Johnson is the head of Patagonia’s apparel and equipment business, overseeing the division as the company works to align its business more strongly with its mission and sport communities while continuing to uphold a legendary reputation of quality and excellence.
Jenna has cultivated an intuitive understanding of her global customers through a lifetime of dirtbag travel, rock climbing, trail sports and 20 years of experience managing several respected outdoor brands. She has also worked to advance Patagonia’s mission to save our home planet, bringing environmental stewardship to the company’s technical innovation. Never willing to sacrifice performance, Jenna is resolved that even the most technical gear can be made with sensitivity to the environment and the people, animals and plants that inhabit it.
Jenna has an Executive MBA from the University of Washington, and her roles as a wife and a mother of two keep her grounded, living simply and optimistic for a more environmentally just future.
2024 Student Speaker
Citlalli Cruz
B.A. Business Administration – Finance and Marketing
Spanish Minor
As a first-generation Latina from Eastern Washington, the path to higher education was never an easy one, but a path I knew I would follow with the support of my family, friends, and community. My time within Foster has been heavily centered around building and expanding my network and communities.
I have been involved with the Young Executives of Color Program since my senior year of high school and I am currently in my second year as a mentor, helping strengthen the pipeline from underrepresented communities to higher education institutions. I have been an active member across other areas in the Undergraduate Diversity Services, having previously served as President and current Senior Advisor for the Association of Latino Professionals for America where I helped raise funds for a student award and increased our reach across campus. As a Girls Who Invest Alumni, I took on the role as the UW Campus Ambassador to help other women gain access to the learning and job opportunities the program has to offer through informational sessions and workshops. I have helped recruit and welcome Foster students throughout the years within RSO involvements and in my time as an Orientation Leader, helping prepare incoming freshman direct students for success.
Throughout my time at the University of Washington, I have made it a goal to develop myself as a student, community member, and role model through my dedication to my studies, leadership roles and extracurriculars, and various ways of giving back to the communities that have aided in my success – the resources at UW and Foster have served as a catalyst in allowing me to become an empowered leader looking to uplift those around me. I look forward to the journeys that lie ahead and feel confident in my capabilities thanks to the experiences I have garnered at Foster and the continued support from those around me.
FOR MORE DETAILS & QUESTIONS:
Read our 2024 Graduation Celebration FAQs for details about eligibility, inviting guests, parking, dress code, bag policy, prohibited items, ADA accommodations, and more.
Questions? Email [email protected]
The University of Washington is committed to providing access and accommodation in its services, programs, and activities. To make a request connected to a disability or health condition contact Kristen Kohashi (206-616-1226, [email protected]) at least 2 weeks before the event. For further support, please contact the Disability Services Office at: Voice: 206-543-6450 (Voice), 206-543-6452 (TTY), 206-685-7264 (Fax), 253-642-0142 (VP), or e-mail at [email protected].
EMBA, GEMBA, HMBA, and TMMBA Graduation Ceremony
Join us in celebrating the graduating class of 2024 in the Meany Hall Center for Performing Arts on the UW campus. (Driving directions) to Meany Hall and campus map.
The ceremony will begin at 5pm and typically lasts two hours. Tickets are required for all guests (including infants).
The ceremony will be streamed live for any guests that cannot attend in person. Link here.
EMBA, GEMBA, TMMBA and Hybrid MBA Ceremony Keynote Speaker
Alan May is the Chief Integration Officer for Talent & Culture at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. In this capacity he leads the recently announced $14 billion intended acquisition of Juniper Networks in all elements related to people, culture, talent and organization. He assumed this role after serving as HPE’s Chief People Officer for nearly a decade, supporting over 60,000 team members globally to improve how they live and work.
HPE has been named as a “Fortune 100 Best Places to Work For” for the last three years and is one of the few technology firms to receive this recognition. Alan has championed a number of innovative and market-leading practices that have attributed to this honor, such as a global six-month paid parenting leave program, best-in-class workplace wellness initiatives and the transformation of HR service delivery through AI.
Alan has over 40 years of leadership experience, across multiple industries, in talent management practices designed to develop and delight employees while achieving strategic and financial objectives. In addition to his assignments at HPE, he has held senior HR roles at The Boeing Company, Cerberus Capital Management, LLC, PepsiCo and TRW, Inc. Throughout his career, he has supported employees at all organizational levels and across many different cultures to build skills, advance careers, provide financial security and maintain workplace and family wellness. He has also been a highly valued counsel in leadership practices and behaviors to many senior executives, C-Suite leaders and CEOs.
He graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in industrial and labor relations. Alan also serves as a Governor for the San Francisco Symphony, a member of their Executive Committee, and Chair of the Human Resources and Compensation Committee. He is an avid hiker who has taken many treks throughout the world, but is happiest on a trail in the Pacific Northwest – his home.
Full-Time MBA and Evening MBA Graduation Ceremony
Each graduating student will receive four tickets to the ceremony. Additional tickets can be requested closer to the event date, based upon availability. For updates on ticket distribution and other important information, please continue to check the graduation website regularly.
We will be hosting a reception, prior to the ceremony, for students and their guests to enjoy light refreshments. The reception will be from 4:00 – 6:00 PM in Paccar Hall.
More information can be found on the MBA Graduation website pages for each program.
Full-time MBA Graduation Website
Evening MBA Graduation Website
The UW Graduation Ceremony will be held on the afternoon of Saturday, June 8, 2024. Refer to the UW Commencement website for details on participating in that celebration.
Academic Attire
You will be required to wear academic attire (MBA gown, Master’s hood in UW colors with royal blue for Foster, cap, and a black tassel) during the celebration. You can purchase your attire via the University website.
2024 MBA Graduate Keynote Speaker
Joshua Rodriguez
Vice President, Goldman, Sachs & Co. LLC
Lieutenant Colonel, US Army Reserve
Josh is an advisor and co-leads a team out of the Goldman Sachs Seattle office. Josh provides investment expertise to client families, family offices, foundations, and endowments across the United States and Canada. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Josh served our country as a highly decorated reconnaissance officer in the United States Army. He was awarded 3 Bronze Stars for heroic and meritorious achievement leading soldiers in combat and for personal valor while fighting in the mountains of Afghanistan. Josh graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and earned an MBA from the University of Washington. He continues military service in the Army Reserve as Lieutenant Colonel leading the Seattle Detachment for the 75th Innovation Command.
Josh is very focused on giving back to underserved communities and mentors transitioning service members as well as undergrads through various Goldman Sachs initiatives. He regularly speaks on the topics of Leadership, Ethics, Resilience, and Finance both locally and nationally to colleges and professional athletes. He serves on the boards of Seattle Opera, Seattle Opera Foundation, and the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington personally leading efforts in Diversity and Racial Equity initiatives.
MSIS Graduation Ceremony
To honor the achievements of the MSIS Class of 2024, the program will hold a recognition on Friday, May 31, at 4pm PT.
Recognition details:
Date & Time: Friday, May 31, 2024 | 4pm PT
Location: UW HUB Lyceum
Please reach out to MSIS at [email protected] with any questions.
We also encourage all students to participate in the official UW Commencement on the afternoon of Saturday, June 8, 2024 at Husky Stadium.
MPAcc & MST Graduation Ceremony
The 2024 Foster School of Business Master of Science in Taxation and Master of Professional Accounting will be celebrating with an in-person ceremony on Friday, June 7th, 2024. The graduation ceremony will take place in the HUB ballroom on UW’s campus, from 4:30-6:30pm. Information and parking and tickets will be provided to the graduates.
For more information about the UW Commencement please visit the UW Commencement website for more details.
For further information, please contact MPAcc or MST Program:
MST
[email protected]
(206) 543-4670
MPAcc
[email protected]
(206) 543-4670
Congratulations to the 2024 Graduates!
MSCM & MSBA Graduation Ceremony
As the academic year draws to a close, we are excited to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates. Event details for the MSBA and MSCM program graduation festivities have been shared directly with the students. If you need information about the event, please check with your graduating student. We look forward to honoring this significant milestone together!
MS in Entrepreneurship Graduation Ceremony
As the academic year draws to a close, we are excited to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates. Event details for the MS in Entrepreneurship program graduation festivities have been shared directly with the students. If you need information about the event, please check with your graduating student. We look forward to honoring this significant milestone together!