Commencement | Class of 2023
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Order of Exercises

Processional

National Anthem

President’s Remarks

Dennis N. Assanis
President of the University of Delaware

Presentation of the Honorary Degrees

Terri L. Kelly
Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Sally Ives Gore, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree
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Rakesh Jain, Honorary Doctor of Science degree.
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Marichu Valencia, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
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Mae Jemison, Honorary Doctor of Science degree.
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Commencement Speaker’s Address

Dr. Mae C. Jemison

Recognition of Students

Conferring of Degrees

Singing of the Alma Mater

Hail to thee proud Delaware,
In loyalty we stand.
We give thee thanks
for glorious days
Beneath thy guiding hand.
Full often will we praise thy name,
Thy colors proudly bear;
We lift our voices now to sing
All hail to Delaware.

Recessional

UDAA Warner & Taylor Award Winners

The 2023 recipients of the Emalea Pusey Warner and Alexander J. Taylor Awards for Outstanding Seniors are Aniya M. L. Brown and Brenden M. Swanik.

Presented annually, the Warner and Taylor awards recognize seniors who demonstrate leadership, academic success and community service. Students must also have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better at the end of the first semester of senior year.

Read more about Aniya and Brenden

High Index Senior

Ishika Govil has earned the highest grade-point index for the Class of 2023 for a combination of a 4.0 GPA with the highest number of earned hours taken in residence. Govil graduated with a bachelor of chemical engineering degree in chemical engineering and a bachelor of science degree in computer science.

The High Index Senior award recognizes the graduating senior who has achieved the highest grade-point index, earned in full-time study toward a degree, which combines GPA with the highest number of earned hours taken in residence at UD. To be eligible for this award, students must earn at least 90 credits. Blue Hens earning a single degree must complete their program in four years, and students pursuing multiple, simultaneous degrees must complete their studies in five years or less.

Mae Jemison

Mae Jemison is the featured speaker at the University of Delaware Commencement ceremony for the Class of 2023. 

Entrepreneur, engineer, physician, dancer, social scientist, former NASA astronaut, educator and humanitarian, Mae Jemison, M.D. is at the forefront of integrating the physical and social sciences with art and culture to solve problems and foster innovation. Jemison leads 100 Year Starship® (100YSS), a nonprofit global initiative to assure that capabilities for human travel beyond our solar system to another star exist within the next 100 years while transforming life on Earth. 100YSS celebrated its 10th anniversary this year with Nexus Nairobi™ – When SPACE, PURPOSE & CULTURE Collide™.

Jemison served six years as a NASA astronaut and was the first woman of color in the world to go into space and was the Area Peace Corps Medical Officer for Sierra Leone and Liberia. Read More »

Jemison founded technology organizations including The Jemison Group, Inc., a STEM education international science camp The Earth We Share™ (TEWS) and was an environmental studies professor at Dartmouth College. A member of the National Academy of Medicine, Chair of the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts External Council and is on the board of Kimberly-Clark and the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards.

Author of “Find Where the Wind Goes: Moments from My Life” and Scholastic True Books’ 100 Year Starship series. The first real astronaut in the Star Trek TV series, LEGO mini- figurine, Astronaut Mae in Sesame Street and voice / inspiration of “Skipster” in Marvel’s “Moon Girl and the Devil Dinosaur”, series host of National Geographic’s “One Strange Rock” and advisor for its global miniseries, “Mars.” Show Less



Giving Honor Roll

The Senior Class Giving Honor Roll recognizes and celebrates UD’s graduating seniors who participated in the Senior Class Giving initiative this academic year (July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023).

The University of Delaware is proud to recognize the parents and families of graduating seniors who have made gifts to UD this academic year (July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023) by displaying their names on the Senior Parent & Family Honor Roll.

Degree Candidates by College

  • * Cum Laude candidate
  • † Magna Cum Laude candidate
  • ‡ Summa Cum Laude candidate
  • § Degree with Distinction candidate
  • ∞ Community Engagement Scholar
  • ⌂ U.S. Military – Active Duty, Reserve or Veteran

The University of Delaware has photographers and/or videographers at today’s ceremony. By attending this event, you grant the University of Delaware permission to publish or display photographic or video images of you. Images may be used in any promotional material, publications or other applications.

Please contact the University of Delaware Office of Communications & Marketing at ocm@udel.edu if you have concerns with your image being used.