May 4, 2007 -- Best-selling novelist John Grisham and acclaimed violinist Boyd Tinsley of the Dave Matthews Band will provide the oratorical highlights at the University of Virginia’s 178th Finals Weekend, May 19-20.

Grisham, who rose to prominence during the 1990s as the master of the legal thriller, will speak on May 20 at Final Exercises, which begin at 10 a.m. with a colorful academic procession down U.Va.’s historic Lawn. The University will confer approximately 6,100 undergraduate, graduate and first professional degrees. More than 30,000 people are expected at the ceremony.

Grisham published his first novel, “A Time to Kill,” in 1988. He followed that with “The Firm,” the top-selling novel of 1991, and more than a dozen other bestsellers. In all, he has written 18 novels, nine of which have been turned into films. There are currently more than 225 million John Grisham books in print worldwide, which have been translated into 46 languages. In 2006, he published his first work of nonfiction, “The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town,” which recounted the story of a man wrongfully convicted of murder in Oklahoma.

 Born in Jonesboro, Ark., Grisham attended Mississippi State University before graduating from law school at the University of Mississippi. For almost a decade he practiced law in Southaven, Miss., specializing in criminal defense and personal injury litigation. He also served in Mississippi’s state legislature from 1983 to 1990. In addition to writing, Grisham has devoted time to charitable causes, including his Rebuild The Coast Fund, which raised $8.8 million for Hurricane Katrina relief.

Grisham and his wife Renee split their time between their farm in Mississippi and a home near Charlottesville. The Grishams have two children, Ty (a 2005 graduate of U.Va.) and Shea.
Tinsley will speak on May 19 at Valedictory Exercises, also to be held on the Lawn, beginning at 11 a.m. The ceremony, organized by the Class of 2007, also includes the announcement of class awards and presentation of the class gift.

A Charlottesville native and former U.Va. student, Tinsley joined the Dave Matthews Band in 1991. The band performed regularly in local nightclubs before its 1994 hit recording, “Under the Table and Dreaming,” and has 15 other albums to its credit. In 2003, Tinsley released his first solo record, “True Reflections.”

When Tinsley is not making music, he dedicates much of his time and effort to the community. Through the Boyd Tinsley Fund, underprivileged youth in the Charlottesville City Schools receive music lessons and academic tutoring. The Boyd Tinsley Tennis Program was established to provide instruction, equipment and transportation to Charlottesville youths interested in pursuing the sport. Tinsley’s commitment to tennis in Charlottesville also inspired his generous contribution to construct a state-of-the-art tennis facility for the University of Virginia tennis teams.

For information on Finals Weekend, visit www.virginia.edu/majorevents/.   

March 25, 2010 — David Baldacci, author of 19 political thrillers, including "Absolute Power,""The Whole Truth" and, next month, "Deliver Us From Evil," will give the valedictory address during Finals Weekend at the University of Virginia.

The Class of 2010 Valedictory Exercises will be on May 22 at 11 a.m. on the Lawn.

A 1986 graduate of the Law School, Baldacci is a frequent visitor to U.Va. He spoke at the Law School's commencement in 2006 and was the valedictory speaker for the class of 2002. He has also participated in the Virginia Festival of the Book.

Baldacci, a native Virginian, still lives in the commonwealth, just outside Washington, D.C. His undergraduate degree in political science is from Virginia Commonwealth University and, after graduation from U.Va., he practiced law for nine years in Washington.

A best-selling and prolific writer, he is also the author of seven original screenplays, essays, short stories and a young-adult fiction series. His next thriller, "Deliver Us from Evil," scheduled for release April 20, will be published not only as a hardback, but also as an e-book and in an "enriched" electronic version. Deleted passages, research photos and an audio interview will be included, according to The Associated Press.

In a 2009 interview, he said he owns a Kindle, Amazon's popular e-book reader. "My philosophy on that is you need to go where the readers are," he said.

Baldacci contributes to and is involved in several philanthropic efforts. His greatest efforts are dedicated to his family's own Wish You Well Foundation, which supports family literacy in the United States by fostering and promoting the development and expansion of new and existing literacy and educational programs.

He and his wife Michelle write on the organization's Web site, "The ability to read is the foundation for everyday life. Indeed, virtually none of the major issues we face as a nation today can be successfully overcome until we eradicate illiteracy."

Baldacci serves as a national ambassador for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and participates in numerous charities, including the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, the American Cancer Society and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

For information on Finals Weekend, visit the Web site. Additionally, contact Josh Lesko, class of 2010 graduation committee chairman, 757-515-5607 or jdl5s@virginia.edu; or Sarah Elaine Hart, president of the class of 2010, 540-460-1476 or seh5v@virginia.edu.

May 22, 2010 — Disagreement. Some name-calling. A little derision.

Such is democracy, novelist David Baldacci told University of Virginia graduates today at the traditional Class Valedictory Exercises held on Finals Weekend.

"Many esteemed scholars will tell you that politics has never been nastier and more personal than it is today," he said. "Really?"

Thomas Jefferson's camp called John Adams a "hideous hermaphroditical character." Adams supporters called Jefferson "a mean-spirited low-lived fellow." Fellow Republicans labeled Abraham Lincoln, among other epithets, "a despot, a liar, a thief." Harry Truman said those who voted for Richard Nixon in 1960 should go to hell.

"All things considered, politics today is pretty tame," Baldacci said. "However, disagreement does not and never will equate with being un-American. In fact, being an American requires us from time to time to disagree.

"It's all quite democratic, really."

Baldacci addressed about 4,000 students and family members on the Lawn under a gray but rainless sky.

Also during Valediction, Algernon Sydney Sullivan Awards were given to fourth-year students Courtney Mallow and Ben Chrisinger and U.Va. swimming and diving coach Mark Bernardino. The class of 2010's gift of $378,900 was warmly received by President John T. Casteen III, who also welcomed President-elect Teresa A. Sullivan to Grounds for Finals Weekend. Recipients of class awards are listed here.

Baldacci, best-selling author of such political thrillers as "Absolute Power" and the new release, "Deliver Us From Evil," is a 1986 graduate of the U.Va. Law School. He recounted his journey from fair high school student to fair college student to fair law student – the whole time pursuing his passion for writing.

As a political science major at Virginia Commonwealth University, he recalled, he visited his adviser during junior year to figure out what he should do after graduation. "Well, there is law school," she said. "In fact, many people with no apparent skills go on to law school."

After receiving his law degree, he became a trial lawyer by day and a writer by night. "And that's why I write," he said. "I have a passion for it, and passion is rare. Most people never find it."

If passion is in your grasp, he advised the graduates, grab it. "Odds are very good it won't come around a second time."

He added, though, that making a little money is also a good thing. "Your parents, I am sure, love you. But they also want to turn your bedroom into a walk-in closet."

Baldacci recalled that his graduation speaker said the students were facing the greatest challenges ever.  "But I suppose if I were standing here in 1862 or 1942 or 2002, I could, with all sincerity, say the same thing."

The best thing today's graduates can do, he said, is to listen, discuss important issues civilly. And if you change someone's opinion, that's great, "but do not be fearful or dismayed if someone changes your mind."

February 28, 2011 — Alumnus J. Brady Lum, president and chief operating officer of Special Olympics, will give the valedictory address to the University of Virginia graduating class during Finals Weekend.

The Class of 2011 Valedictory Exercises will be held May 21 at 11 a.m. on the Lawn.

In January 2008, Lum was a high-ranking executive at The Coca-Cola Company when Coca-Cola CEO Muhtar Kent – a member of the Special Olympics board – called him into his office, told him of the opening at Special Olympics and suggested that he put his name forward for consideration.

"Before I had time to respond, Muhtar proceeded to speak passionately about his nearly 25 years of involvement with Special Olympics," Lum recalled later. "It was then that I realized that this was more than a corporate nicety – that Muhtar was not just fulfilling a board role to help, but really was interested in the best for Special Olympics and for me."

Four months later, Lum was introduced as Special Olympics' new president and COO.

A Houston native, Lum was a Jefferson Scholar at U.Va. and graduated in 1989 from the College of Arts & Sciences, with honors, with a degree in government and foreign affairs. He earned a Luce Scholarship to study in Asia, and was a research associate at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies in Kuala Lumpur (and remains conversationally fluent in both Spanish and Malay).

He later went on to earn a master's of business administration from the Harvard University School of Business. In the Jeffersonian tradition of lifelong learning, he is currently pursuing a master's degree in music from the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

He had held a variety of senior management positions at Coca-Cola and led a global initiative to recast the company's mission, vision and capabilities. He also served in leadership roles in operations, marketing, strategic planning and organizational development, including vice president for North America strategic planning and integration, and vice president, and Northeast Region manager for Coca-Cola North America.

Lum has maintained his ties with the University, as well, serving on the Jefferson Scholars National Selection Committee and the Mead Endowment Advisory Board. He also has served as chairman of the board of the national Hands On Network, overseeing its merger with the Points of Light Foundation.

He spoke to the Jefferson Scholars in 2010, encouraging them to be open to volunteering opportunities, to pay attention to "fellow travelers" in life and to express gratitude often (and in writing) to those who help them along the way.

He lives in Chevy Chase, Md., with his wife, Jill Morehouse Lum, daughters Perry and Sandy, and son Wiley.

For information on Finals Weekend, visit the website. Additionally, contact Claire Montaigne, Class of 2011 Graduation Committee chair, at 914-320-2816 or chm4q@virginia.edu; or John Buttram, class president, at jtb6r@virginia.edu.

May 21, 2011 — "Say 'yes' to more in life" was the charge to the University of Virginia's Class of 2011 from J. Brady Lum, president and chief operating officer of Special Olympics International, during today's Valedictory Exercises keynote address.

The ceremony, held on the Saturday of Finals Weekend, took place on the Lawn under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. The welcome spring weather drew out a mix of women in colorful dresses and some men in casual clothes, though more formal attire was the norm. The lush Lawn and occasional light breezes added a scenic, comfortable feel to the ceremony, which included the cheerful sounds of birdcalls in the background.
 
Recalling the time when he was mulling the offer to become the leader of the organization, Lum cited a mentor's encouragement that "Special Olympics is about a leap of faith, the courage to brave the unknown."

His mentor was right, Lum said. "I look back on that fateful day three years ago, and I've never looked back."

A 1989 honors graduate of U.Va.'s College of Arts & Sciences, Lum told more than 1,500 graduating students, parents, guests and others that his powerful memories of significant life experiences led him to be an advocate of affirmation.

His speech followed recognition of several graduating students and U.Va. officials who were honored for their commitment and sacrifice beyond the requirements of their courses of study and occupations.

During valediction, Algernon Sydney Sullivan Awards were given to fourth-year students Ishraga A. Eltahir and Ethan K. Heil, and to Valerie H. Gregory, U.Va. director of outreach in the office of university admissions. (A story about these Sullivan Award winners is here).

Other student achievements were recognized by awards from the Seven Society and the Class of 2011. Recipients of those awards are listed here. Also honored was Leonard W. Sandridge, the University's executive vice president and chief operating officer, who is retiring this year after a 44-year career on Grounds. Sandridge received the Gordon F. Rainey Jr. Award, bestowed by the Society of the Purple Shadows for vigilance to the student experience.

Members of the Class of 2011 presented President Teresa A. Sullivan with the class gift of $486,062, the second-largest in U.Va.'s history. The class' participation rate was an impressive 56 percent, among the highest ever by fourth-year students. Sullivan thanked the students for their contributions and cited the tradition that allows them to direct their giving to "areas of the University most meaningful" to each of them.

The Virginia Gentlemen sang at the beginning of the exercises. The ceremony concluded with farewell remarks from class president John T. Buttram, who lauded the achievements and experiences of his fellow graduates, while remembering "the candlelight vigils in the amphitheater, recalling the tragedies that have befallen our friends and fellow Wahoos."

In his heartfelt and personal speech, Lum spoke of the death of his father in 1999, when his dad was just 57 years old. But he shared the story of an unforgettable impromptu trip that he and his father made to the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, N.Y., when the two joined in the excitement of the United States' hockey victory over Russia, then the U.S.S.R. This "memory is about a father and son his saying 'yes' to spontaneity."

Also vivid is Lum's memory of being humbled in front of fellow classmates in his third-year government honors class, when the professor, the late Robert J. Morgan, asked him to read his paper on John Locke and liberty. The experience did not go well.  "He then sacrificed me like a hog on a spit at a Cajun cochon de lait – dripping with long-windedness, imprecision and utter babble. I shrank with complete humiliation." The experience had its intended effect, he said; it was "a humbling lesson in saying 'yes' to learning – even really tough feedback.

"I can assure you my level of precision in writing was changed forever after that day."  Among his other U.Va. student experiences, Lum was president of the College of Arts & Sciences and chairman of the Honor Committee. He was a Jefferson Scholar, Echols Scholar and Lawn resident. After earning a bachelor's degree in government and foreign affairs, he later earned an MBA from Harvard University.

After graduation from U.Va., Lum won a Luce Scholarship to study in Asia and was a research associate at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies in Kuala Lumpur. (He remains conversationally fluent in Spanish and Malay). Even as he leads Special Olympics, he is pursing a master's degree in music from the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Lum's service to the University includes membership on the Jefferson Scholars National Selection Committee and the Mead Endowment Advisory Board.  Prior to joining Special Olympics in May 2008, Lum spent 15 years at The Coca-Cola Company, holding a variety of senior management positions, including vice president for North America strategic planning and integration, and vice president and northeast region manager for Coca-Cola North America.

Near the end of his speech, Lum referred to the example of Special Olympics athletes in reinforcing his commitment to saying "yes."

"We can all listen more carefully to our own voices, experiences of joy. … Graduates, every day I have the pleasure to work with people with special needs, who put themselves out there, follow their joy and love of sport in spite of terrible intolerance and discrimination. Win or lose, they are always glad they entered the race."  Graduation weekend continues Sunday with Final Exercises, also held on the Lawn, beginning with an academic procession at 10 a.m. The Lawn ceremony will be followed by individual diploma ceremonies throughout Grounds. The weather forecast calls for a mostly sunny day with temperatures in the low 80s and a chance of afternoon thunderstorms.

December 6, 2011 — Award-winning journalist and TV personality, well-known cancer advocate and New York Times best-selling author Katie Couric, who graduated from the University of Virginia in 1979, will deliver the commencement address at the University's 183rd Final Exercises on May 20. She will speak on the Lawn following the traditional academic procession, which begins at 10 a.m.

President Teresa A. Sullivan made the selection from nominations forwarded by the Public Occasions Subcommittee of the Commencement and Convocations Committee, which comprises students and faculty.

Also, the trustees of the Class of 2012 announced thatVal Ackerman, a 1981 alumna and Cavalier basketball star who became the founding president of the Women's National Basketball Association, will speak at Valedictory Exercises on May 19.

"Katie Couric and Val Ackerman are two of our most accomplished alumnae," Sullivan said. "They have excelled in their careers and, in so doing, produced admiration and pride within our University community. Our students and their families will certainly enjoy hearing from these two women and learning from their perspectives."

Couric, who has been the class-day speaker at Princeton University and delivered commencement addresses at Williams College, Case Western Reserve University and Boston University in recent years, said she was delighted to accept Sullivan's invitation.

"Although I've delivered quite a few commencement addresses, I consider it a special honor to be invited by U.Va. to speak at Final Exercises," Couric said. "My walk down the Lawn was such a memorable day for me, and I can't wait to share the experience with the class of 2012."

A native of Arlington, Couric is an honors graduate of the College of Arts & Sciences in English with a concentration in American Studies. She was an associate editor of the Cavalier Daily, head Lawn resident and a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority.

Couric this summer joined the Disney/ABC Television Group and serves as special correspondent for ABC News, contributing to "ABC World News,""Nightline,""20/20,""Good Morning America," and primetime news specials. Beginning in September, she will host a new syndicated daytime daily talk show, "Katie."

In September 2006, Couric became the first female solo anchor of an evening news broadcast. She served as anchor and managing editor of the "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric" until this past May. She also was a contributor to "60 Minutes,""CBS Sunday Morning" and CBS News primetime specials.

On May 31, 2006, she completed a 15-year run as co-anchor of NBC News'"Today" show. In October, the Wall Street Journal called her one of the "most successful anchors ever" at "Today."

Couric has received many honors and awards for her work in journalism, including numerous Emmy Awards, the Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast in 2008 and 2009, the Walter Cronkite Award for Special Achievement in 2009, and the Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in the Media in 2009. In 2010, Couric was awarded an Alfred I. duPont Award for her 2008 interview with Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. The "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric" received a second duPont for the series, "Children of the Recession." She is the author of New York Times best-seller "The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons From Extraordinary Lives."

A tireless advocate for cancer detection and treatment, Couric is co-founder of Stand Up To Cancer, co-founder of the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance with the Entertainment Industry Foundation and Lilly Tartikoff, and founder of the Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

She lives in New York with her two daughters.

Couric hasn't been a stranger to the Grounds since her graduation. For a "Today" show segment in 2001, she visited then-President John T. Casteen III, stopped in her Lawn room, No. 26, and chatted with students and signed autographs. In 2008, she attended the groundbreaking for the Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center, named for her sister, the late Virginia State Sen. Emily Couric, who died from pancreatic cancer in 2001. She spoke at the dedication of the center in February. In 2009, Couric brought her Flip Cam to document her 30th reunion and posted a video on YouTube.

Couric spoke at Valedictory Exercises in 1992, and in 1993 she received the Distinguished Alumna Award from the U.Va. Women's Center. An oral history of her time at U.Va. is archived in the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library.

Val Ackerman To Speak at Valedictory Exercises

"I'm honored to be invited and excited to be part of the festivities," Val Ackerman said of her selection as the speaker for the 2012 Valedictory Exercises.

The New Jersey native was a four-year starter and three-time captain on Coach Debbie Ryan's early teams. She graduated in 1981 with a degree from the College in interdisciplinary studies, played professional basketball in France, earned a law degree in 1985 and in 1988 joined the National Basketball Association as a staff attorney.

In 1996, she was named president of the new Women's National Basketball Association, oversaw its launch in 1997 and ran the day-to-day operations for eight seasons. The league, which completed its 15th season this year, is the longest-running women's professional team sports league in the U.S.

In 2005, Ackerman was elected president of USA Basketball for the 2005-08 term, leading the organization to an overall competitive record of 222-23 and gold medal performances by the U.S. men's and women's teams at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

In a 2008 interview, she credited her time at the University, where she was a two-time Academic All-American, with laying the groundwork for her success. "I had a rigorous academic program," she said. "The educational and social experience was amazing, and to be a student-athlete there was a unique experience."

She was a Lawn resident and among the first women's scholarship athletes. In 1997, she was honored with the Distinguished Alumna Award. She is a member of the executive committee of U.Va.'s capital campaign and on the board of directors of the Virginia Athletic Association.

In her capacity as a member of the campaign executive committee, she has been leading the U.Va. Women in Leadership and Philanthropy effort for several years.  She spearheaded the planning for the Women in Leadership conferences in 2008 and 2010, and remains involved in the planning for the 2012 conference.

Ackerman also serves on the board of directors of USA Basketball, the executive committee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the National Board of Trustees for the March of Dimes.

She and her husband, Charlie Rappaport, have two daughters, Emily and Sally. They live in New York.

May 16, 2012 — When Edwin A. Alderman became the first president of the University of Virginia in 1904, he lamented the dearth of pomp and circumstance among graduating students and faculty. Henceforth, he declared, academic regalia would be worn during Final Exercises.

On Sunday, U.Va. will not lack for pomp and circumstance, as the Class of 2012 and faculty process down the Lawn for the 183rd Final Exercises.

It will be the second time President Teresa A. Sullivan has presided. "This will be my third Final Exercises, and my second as president," she said. "It's such a proud day for me to recognize the accomplishments of these young people as they move on to jobs, graduate school, military service, Teach for America, Peace Corps and their many other endeavors."

The University's executive vice presidents – Provost John Simon and Chief Operating Officer Michael Strine – will be attending their first Finals since arriving on Grounds in 2011.

The University's 11 schools will award 6,411 degrees. That total includes 3,732 bachelor's degrees, 2,166 master's degrees and 513 first professional degrees. Some 843 graduates are international students. Fifty-four students earned their degree in three years or less, including one student who finished in two years or less.

Between 30,000 and 35,000 people are expected to descend upon the Grounds during the weekend.

Award-winning journalist and TV personality, well-known cancer advocate and best-selling author Katie Couric, who is a 1979 alumna of the College of Arts & Sciences, will give the commencement address on Sunday. She will speak from the south end of the Lawn following the traditional academic procession from the Rotunda, which begins at 10 a.m.

Val Ackerman, a 1981 College alumna and Cavalier basketball star who went on to be founding president of the Women's National Basketball Association, will give the valedictory address. The Class of 2012 Valedictory Exercises will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. on the Lawn.

Other public events, all on Saturday:

• School of Nursing Hooding Ceremony, 1 p.m., McLeod Hall auditorium.
• Curry School of Education Hooding Ceremony, 2 p.m., Culbreth Theatre.
• Joint Commissioning Exercises for Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force ROTC candidates, 3 p.m., Old Cabell Hall Auditorium
• School of Nursing Pinning Ceremony, 5:30 p.m., Old Cabell Hall Auditorium.
• Donning of the Kente ceremony, sponsored by the Office of African-American Affairs, 7 p.m., Culbreth Theatre. (Tickets required; call 434-924-7923.)
• The Virginia Glee Club Finals Concert, 8 p.m., Chapel. (Free, donations accepted.)

Details are available on the Finals Weekend website.

Speakers

• A native of Arlington, Katie Couric is an honors graduate of the College of Arts & Sciences in English with a concentration in American Studies. She was an associate editor of the Cavalier Daily, head Lawn resident and a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority.

Couric this summer joined the Disney/ABC Television Group and serves as special correspondent for ABC News, contributing to "ABC World News,""Nightline,""20/20,""Good Morning America," and primetime news specials. Beginning in September, she will host a new syndicated daytime daily talk show, "Katie."

In September 2006, Couric became the first female solo anchor of an evening news broadcast. She served as anchor and managing editor of the "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric" until this past May. She also was a contributor to "60 Minutes,""CBS Sunday Morning" and CBS News primetime specials.

On May 31, 2006, she completed a 15-year run as co-anchor of NBC News'"Today" show. In October, the Wall Street Journal called her one of the "most successful anchors ever" at "Today."

Couric has received many honors and awards for her work in journalism, including numerous Emmy Awards, the Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast in 2008 and 2009, the Walter Cronkite Award for Special Achievement in 2009, and the Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in the Media in 2009. In 2010, Couric was awarded an Alfred I. duPont Award for her 2008 interview with Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. The "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric" received a second duPont for the series, "Children of the Recession." She is the author of New York Times best-seller "The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons From Extraordinary Lives."

A tireless advocate for cancer detection and treatment, Couric is co-founder of Stand Up To Cancer, co-founder of the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance with the Entertainment Industry Foundation and Lilly Tartikoff, and founder of the Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

• Val Ackerman, a New Jersey native, was a four-year starter and three-time captain on Coach Debbie Ryan's early women's basketball teams. She graduated in 1981 with a degree from the College in interdisciplinary studies, played professional basketball in France, earned a law degree in 1985 and in 1988 joined the National Basketball Association as a staff attorney.

In 1996, she was named president of the new Women's National Basketball Association, oversaw its launch in 1997 and ran the day-to-day operations for eight seasons. The league, which embarks on its 16th season this weekend, is the longest-running women's professional team sports league in the U.S.

In 2005, Ackerman was elected president of USA Basketball for the 2005-08 term, leading the organization to an overall competitive record of 222-23 and gold medal performances by the U.S. men's and women's teams at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

In a 2008 interview, she credited her time at the University, where she was a two-time Academic All-American, with laying the groundwork for her success. "I had a rigorous academic program," she said. "The educational and social experience was amazing, and to be a student-athlete there was a unique experience."

She was a Lawn resident and among the first women's scholarship athletes. In 1997, she was honored with the Distinguished Alumna Award from the U.Va. Women's Center. She is a member of the executive committee of U.Va.'s capital campaign and on the board of directors of the Virginia Athletics Foundation.

In her capacity as a member of the campaign executive committee, she has been leading the U.Va. Women in Leadership and Philanthropy effort for several years. She spearheaded the planning for the Women in Leadership conferences in 2008 and 2010, and remains involved in the planning for the 2012 conference.

Ackerman also serves on the board of directors of USA Basketball, the executive committee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the National Board of Trustees for the March of Dimes.

Inclement Weather

Though the weekend's forecast is for warm temperatures and sunny skies, contingency plans are in place for inclement or severe weather.

If the inclement- or severe-weather plan is followed for Valedictory Exercises or Final Exercises, announcements will be made no later than 8 a.m. on local radio stations and the University's home page. If in doubt, call the University's weather hotline, 434-924-7669 or 434-243-7669, or the graduation information line, 434-982-2908.

In the case of inclement or severe weather on Saturday, Valedictory Exercises will be moved from the Lawn to the John Paul Jones Arena.

For Sunday, the severe-weather plan will be followed only in case of thunder, lightning, high winds or other conditions that make it unsafe to hold ceremonies outside. Rain alone does not constitute severe weather.

Depending upon the weather, the University may implement its inclement weather plan. Final Exercises would be held on the Lawn as planned, but diploma ceremonies would be moved indoors. Under this plan, faculty and students and their guests will go to the inclement weather sites designated on the "Diploma Ceremony Locations" chart for diploma distribution.

In the event of severe weather, the School of Architecture, College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, McIntire School of Commerce, School of Continuing and Professional Studies, Curry School of Education, School of Nursing and Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy will hold Final Exercises at 10 a.m. in John Paul Jones Arena. Only those with tickets will be admitted.

Faculty and students of the Darden School of Business and the schools of Engineering and Applied Science, Law and Medicine and their guests will go to the severe-weather sites designated on the Diploma Ceremony Locations chart for both degree conferral and diploma distribution.

Alcohol is not permitted at any of these locations.

Live Web Stream and Remote Viewing

A live webcast of the commencement is available on the University of Virginia's website.

Guests can watch Final Exercises from nine remote viewing sites: Alumni Hall Ballroom, Harrison Institute Auditorium, Chemistry Building Auditorium, Gilmer Hall Auditoriums (rooms 130 and 190), Newcomb Hall Ballroom, Ruffner Hall Auditorium, Student Activities Building and Zehmer Hall.

Parking and Transportation

Free parking will be available at the Emmet/Ivy Parking Garage (near the Cavalier Inn), Scott Stadium, John Paul Jones Arena and University Hall. Shuttle buses will be available at all sites, except the Emmet/Ivy Garage. Limited paid parking will be available in the Central Grounds Garage; no shuttle service will be provided.

Public parking will not be available on Central Grounds. McCormick Road will be closed from Emmet Street to the Chapel.

Details are available here.

Facts and Figures

Academic procession: Takes about an hour. Final Exercises last about two hours.

Attendance: Between 30,000 and 35,000 people are expected to descend upon the Grounds.

Buses: 40 buses will ferry students and guests around Grounds.

Diplomas: U.Va. diplomas are 17 inches wide and 22 inches high.

Diploma ceremonies: 57 ceremonies for 11 schools and disciplines will be held.

Food: U.Va. Catering plans to serve 500 pounds of hot dogs, 17,000 petite gourmet cookies, 4,000 bakeshop cookies, 500 jumbo cookies, 2,500 brownies, 400 gallons of lemonade, 200 gallons of iced tea, 4,000 bottles of water and 400 pounds each of pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew melon and strawberries. About 75 food service employees will be on the job.

And more food: 17,000 cookies, 221 gallons of lemonade and 140 gallons of water will be served at the President's Reception after Valedictory Exercises on Saturday and at some of the diploma ceremonies.

Chairs: For about 6,000 graduates, their families and guests, 36,000 chairs at 50 sites, including 21,000 on the Lawn and 15,000 for diploma ceremonies, are set up for Finals Weekend.

The Lawn: About 2,000 pounds of grass seed are sown on the Lawn starting in early spring in preparation for the University's Finals Weekend.

Stages and tents: Workers will install 16 stages and seven tents of various sizes around Grounds and furnish them with podiums, tables, stairs, ramps or lifts, skirting, rails and sound systems. Facilities Management will deploy 15 sound reinforcement systems, connecting 42 loudspeakers and 22 microphones by rolling out almost one mile of cabling. A quarter-mile of electric wire is used to power monitors and speakers. A half-mile of speaker cable is used to connect speakers.

TV monitors: Two Jumbotron television monitors, each 10 feet by 13.3 feet, are set up on the Lawn, providing a better view of the proceedings for those seated at the Lawn's northern end.

Viewing sites: Besides the Lawn, guests can watch Final Exercises from nine remote viewing sites: Alumni Hall Ballroom, Chemistry Building Auditorium, Gilmer Hall Auditorium, Harrison Institute and Small Special Collections Library Auditorium, Newcomb Hall Ballroom, Ruffner Hall Auditorium, Student Activities Building, Zehmer Hall Auditorium and Newcomb Hall third floor.

Viewing online: Final Exercises will be streamed live here.

Webcam: Watch 24 hours on the Lawn for Final Exercises in 24 seconds.

Workers: Around 140 Facilities Management employees are deployed on the day of graduation. Around 200 are involved in the preparation for Finals Weekend, which includes everything from set-up to take-down. Graduation will also be staffed by about 35 workers from the Office of Development and Public Affairs. There will be nearly 100 University police and security officers, as well as participation from the Charlottesville police, the Albemarle County police and the city and county sheriff's offices. There will also be about 230 ushers for the Lawn ceremony and 90 for the diploma ceremonies.

May 21, 2012 — A successful Finals Weekend would not be possible without the dozens and dozens of University of Virginia employees who help make the occasion memorable, so it's time for them to have their own special event on May 24. The Finals Thank-You Picnic will be held Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Carr's Hill.

Guests are encouraged to come as they are and as their schedule permits.

President Teresa A. Sullivan usually attends, but she will be en route to Hong Kong and the start of a four-city visit to Asia. Therefore, Michael Strine, executive vice president and chief operating officer, will serve as host.

— by Anne Bromley

Stephen Colbert, the host, co-writer and executive producer of Comedy Central’s Emmy and Peabody Award-winning series “The Colbert Report,” will be the keynote speaker at the University of Virginia’s 2013 Valedictory Exercises, the Class of 2013 Trustees have announced.

Part of the Finals Weekend festivities, Valediction is the ceremony at which the Class of 2013 will pay tribute to their time at the University and present the class gift and University awards. It will be held May 18 at 11 a.m. on the Lawn.

“The Graduation Committee and the Class Trustees are thrilled to have Stephen Colbert as our speaker,” said Priya Vithani, Class of 2013 graduation committee chair. “We are confident that his presence at Valediction will provide lasting memories, and many laughs, for the graduates and their families and friends.”

Stephen Colbert is a best-selling author, political satirist, writer, comedian, former presidential candidate and television host of Comedy Central’s acclaimed series, “The Colbert Report.”   For more than seven years, audiences and critics alike have hailed “The Colbert Report” as one of the top comedy shows on television. The series has received two prestigious Peabody Awards for Excellence in Broadcasting and 25 Primetime Emmy nominations. In 2010, Colbert and his writing team were honored with a second Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program.  Colbert first gained TV notoriety in 1997 when he joined Comedy Central’s late-night satirical news program, “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.”

Colbert is the author of three books. In 2007, his “I Am America (and So Can You!)” debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list and remained on the list for 29 weeks. In May, Colbert released a parody children’s book titled “I Am a Pole (And So Can You!),” which documents a pole’s quest for identity, and he recently released his third book, “America Again: Re-becoming The Greatness We Never Weren’t.” In 2004, he contributed to the bestseller “America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction,” with other writers from “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and U.Va. founder Thomas Jefferson, who is credited with the foreword. Colbert is a graduate of Northwestern University where he majored in theater. 

Colbert’s wife, Evelyn McGee Colbert, is a 1985 alumna of the College of Arts & Sciences. She double-majored in drama and English and participated in several summer productions of the Heritage Repertory Theatre, now the Heritage Theatre Festival.

In 2011, the Colberts made a generous gift to create a new Arts Scholars program in the College. Arts Scholars have direct access to the best resources in the arts at the University, a senior faculty member as their adviser-mentor, and funding for arts-intensive summer work. Sixteen students benefited from the program in its inaugural year in 2011, and 13 students who entered this fall were selected to be Arts Scholars in studio art,music, drama and dance.

For information on U.Va.’s Valediction ceremony and other Finals Weekend festivities, visit the Finals Weekend website. Additionally, contact Priya Vithani, Class of 2013 Graduation Committee Chair, at pdv4mt@virginia.edu or 804-852-7669

Jim Webb, a former U.S. Senator (D-Va.) and Secretary of the Navy, decorated Vietnam veteran and successful journalist, filmmaker and author, will deliver the commencement address at the University's 184th Final Exercises on May 19. He will speak on the Lawn following the traditional academic procession, which begins at 10 a.m.

U.Va. President Teresa A. Sullivan made the selection from nominations forwarded by the Public Occasions Subcommittee of the Commencement and Convocations Committee, which is composed of students and faculty.

“In many respects, Sen. Webb personifies the commitment to public service and leadership that we strive to instill in our students, as he has demonstrated throughout his distinguished career,” President Sullivan said. “His participation as commencement speaker will make an already joyful Finals weekend even more meaningful for our students and their families.”

The trustees of the Class of 2013 previously announced that Stephen Colbert, the host, co-writer and executive producer of Comedy Central’s Emmy and Peabody Award-winning series, “The Colbert Report,” will speak at Valedictory Exercises on May 18.

Alexander “Sandy” Gilliam, U.Va.’s history and protocol officer who chairs the Public Occasions Subcommittee, said of Webb’s recommendation, “We were interested in him because of all that he’s done and because he’s sure to be a provocative speaker. It won’t be your typical ‘take up the torch and go forward’ speech to graduates. I’m sure he’ll say something interesting, and I’m delighted that he has accepted the President’s invitation.”

Webb said in an email, “I appreciate the invitation from President Sullivan and the entire community at the University of Virginia to participate in this spring’s commencement exercises. U.Va. is one of this nation’s pre-eminent universities, excelling across the spectrum in business, government, law and the arts and humanities. I look forward to celebrating this tradition with the Class of 2013.”

Webb arrived at the Senate in 2007, following his first run for political office, and with many years of experience in military and veterans affairs. On his first day in office, he introduced a comprehensive 21st-century GI Bill for those who have been serving in the military since 9/11, and within 16 months had guided the most significant veterans legislation since World War II through both houses of Congress.

Along with Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri, he created the Wartime Contracting Commission to bring accountability for fraud, waste and abuse brought about by the often-unsupervised contract processes in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Webb also designed and chaired a series of committee hearings and conferences to examine the issues of mass incarceration and policies toward drugs, and became one of the strongest voices in Congress on the need for a top-to-bottom restructuring of the criminal justice system.

Long a public servant, Webb decided not to seek re-election to the Senate. During his one six-year term, however, he accomplished a great deal, according to a Richmond Times-Dispatch article published Dec. 30. In it, Larry Sabato, a politics professor in U.Va.’s College of Arts & Sciences, called Webb “the most apolitical senator I’ve ever met.”

“Many people run for the Senate to be something, rather than do something – but not Webb,” Sabato said. “He’s a restless, ‘been-there, done-that, close-the-door’ kind of guy. For a one-term senator, he’s got quite a legacy.”

Born in Missouri in 1946, James Henry “Jim” Webb graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in l968. First in his class of 243 at the Marine Corps Officers' Basic School in Quantico, Webb served with the Fifth Marine Regiment in Vietnam and was awarded the Navy Cross, the Silver Star Medal, two Bronze Star Medals and two Purple Hearts during his active-duty service.

He has also received awards for community service and professional excellence, including the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Medal, the Medal of Honor Society's Patriot Award, the American Legion National Commander's Public Service Award, the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ Media Service Award, the Marine Corps League's Military Order of the Iron Mike Award, the John Russell Leadership Award and the Robert L. Denig Distinguished Service Award. He was a Fellow at Harvard's Institute of Politics in the fall of 1992.

Webb received his J.D. at Georgetown University Law Center in 1975. He served the U.S. Congress as counsel to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs from 1977 to 1981. In 1982, he led the fight for including an African-American soldier in the memorial statue that now graces the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall, and wrote the inscription at the base of the flagpole. In 1984, he was appointed the inaugural assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs. In 1987, he became the first Naval Academy graduate in history to serve in the military and then become Secretary of the Navy.

Webb speaks Vietnamese and has done extensive pro bono work with the Vietnamese community dating from the late 1970s.

In addition to his public service, Webb has enjoyed a long career as a writer. He has written nine books, including “Fields of Fire,” widely recognized as the classic novel of the Vietnam War, and “A Time to Fight,” his latest best-selling nonfiction book about reclaiming a fair and just America.

He has taught literature at the Naval Academy as its first visiting writer, traveled worldwide as a journalist and earned an Emmy Award for his PBS coverage of the U.S. Marines in Beirut. In 2004, Webb went into Afghanistan as a journalist, embedded with the U.S. military.

Webb has enjoyed success as a Hollywood screenwriter and producer. His original story, “Rules of Engagement,” which he executive-produced, was released in April 2000 and was the No. 1 film in the U.S. for two weeks. It starred Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L. Jackson.

Webb has six children and lives in Northern Virginia with his wife, Hong Le Webb.

• From Colbert and Webb to the Amazing Grads, Complete Coverage of U.Va.’s Class of 2013

Teresa A. Sullivan will preside over her third Final Exercises as president of the University of Virginia this weekend, welcoming between 30,000 and 35,000 people to Grounds. Sunday is the 184th edition of the University’s ceremony honoring graduating students.

For the graduates, their families and friends, the weekend promises the usual visual and emotional appeals – the lush and inviting Lawn, the procession of faculty, the iconic Academical Village backdrop for photos and videos.

This year also promises new twists and features: Students who have earned undergraduate degrees in fewer than four years will wear special, orange academic stoles, a gift from the Office of the President. And many of those weekend photos destined for Facebook and scrapbooks will feature a copper-colored Rotunda dome instead of a white one – the first time this has been the case since before the last round of major Rotunda renovations, completed in 1976. Unpredictable weather delayed plans to paint the new roof.

The University’s 11 schools will award 6,363 degrees. That total includes 3,761 bachelor’s degrees, 1,634 master’s degrees and 509 first professional degrees. Some 896 graduates are international students. Eighty students earned their degree in three years; two in just two years.

For students and guests, a compelling set of speakers awaits. Stephen Colbert will deliver remarks at Saturday’s Valediction, and James Henry “Jim” Webb is the keynote speaker for Final Exercises on Sunday.

Webb is a former U.S. senator and Secretary of the Navy, decorated Vietnam War veteran and successful journalist, filmmaker and author. Born in Missouri in 1946, Webb graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in l968. He served with the Fifth Marine Regiment in Vietnam and was awarded the Navy Cross, the Silver Star Medal, two Bronze Star Medals and two Purple Hearts during his active-duty service.

Webb received his J.D. at Georgetown University Law Center in 1975. He served the U.S. Congress as counsel to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs from 1977 to 1981. In 1982, he led the fight for including an African-American soldier in the memorial statue that now graces the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall, and wrote the inscription at the base of the flagpole. In 1984, he was appointed the inaugural assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs. In 1987, he became the first Naval Academy graduate in history to serve in the military and then become Secretary of the Navy.

Colbert is the host, co-writer and executive producer of Comedy Central’s Emmy and Peabody award-winning series “The Colbert Report.” He is a best-selling author, political satirist, writer, comedian and former presidential candidate. Colbert is a graduate of Northwestern University, where he majored in theater.

Colbert’s wife, Evelyn McGee Colbert, is a 1985 alumna of U.Va.’s College of Arts & Sciences. She majored indrama and English and participated in several summer productions of the Heritage Repertory Theatre, now the Heritage Theatre Festival.

In 2011, the Colberts made a generous gift to create a new Arts Scholars program in the College. Arts Scholars have direct access to the best resources in the arts at the University, a senior faculty member as their adviser-mentor, and funding for arts-intensive summer work. Sixteen students benefited from the program in its inaugural year in 2011, and 13 students who entered this fall were selected to be Arts Scholars in studio art, music, drama anddance.

Live Web Stream and Remote Viewing

Both Valedictory and Final Exercises will be livestreamed at www.virginia.edu/majorevents/live.

Guests also can watch a live broadcast of Sunday’s Lawn Ceremony at these remote viewing locations: Alumni Hall Ballroom, Chemistry Building Auditorium, Gilmer Hall auditoriums (rooms 130 and 190), Harrison Institute Auditorium, Newcomb Hall Ballroom and Theater, Student Activities Building and Zehmer Hall Auditorium.

Inclement Weather

If the inclement- or severe-weather plan is followed for Valedictory or Final Exercises, announcements will be made no later than 8 a.m. on local radio stations and the University’s home page, www.virginia.edu. If in doubt, call the University’s weather hotline, 434-924-7669 or 434-243-7669, or the graduation information line, 434-982-2908.

In the case of inclement or severe weather on Saturday, Valedictory Exercises will be moved from the Lawn to John Paul Jones Arena. Tickets – three per graduate, available starting today at the University Bookstore – will be required for entry into the arena.

If the weather is inclement, the University may decide to hold Sunday’s Final Exercises on the Lawn, but implement the inclement-weather plan for diploma ceremonies. Under this plan, faculty and students and their guests will go to the inclement-weather sites designated on the Diploma Ceremony Locations chart for diploma distribution.

If weather is severe Sunday, there will be a central convocation in the John Paul Jones Arena for undergraduate and Master of Teaching degree candidates only. Faculty and students should arrive at the arena by 9:30 a.m. Only guests with tickets will be allowed entry. Graduate and professional students will go to the designated severe-weather sites for both degree conferral and diploma distribution. Faculty and students should arrive 30 minutes before their respective ceremony.

Parking and Transportation

Free parking will be available at the Emmet/Ivy Parking Garage, Scott Stadium, John Paul Jones Arena and University Hall. Shuttle buses will be available at all sites, except the Emmet/Ivy Garage. Limited paid parking will be available in the Central Grounds Garage; no shuttle service will be provided.

Public parking will not be available on Central Grounds. McCormick Road will be closed from University Avenue to the McCormick Road Bridge from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Ray Mabus, the U.S. Secretary of the Navy, will deliver the commencement address at the University of Virginia’s 185th Final Exercises on May 18. The former governor of Mississippi and ambassador to Saudi Arabia will speak on the Lawn following the traditional academic procession.

“Secretary Mabus provides a great example of national leadership and commitment to service for our graduating students,” U.Va. President Teresa Sullivan said. “All of us in the University community are looking forward to welcoming Secretary Mabus to Charlottesville and hearing his remarks.”

“I am honored to have the opportunity to address the Class of 2014 and congratulate them for their years of hard work,” Mabus said. “The principles of service and dedication to the search for knowledge learned at the University of Virginia will serve as a foundation for their success in life, and inspire them to be part of something larger than themselves.”

Since beginning his tenure in 2009 as the top civilian official in the U.S. Navy, Mabus has taken on several goals: improving the quality of life of sailors, Marines and their families; decreasing the department’s dependence on fossil fuels; and revitalizing the Navy’s shipbuilding program. Last year, he introduced the “21st Century Sailor and Marine” initiative, which aims to build and maintain the most resilient and ready force possible.

Mabus has directed the Navy and Marine Corps to obtain at least 50 percent of their energy from alternative sources by 2020. As part of that ambitious goal, the Navy last year demonstrated the Great Green Fleet, a carrier strike group in which every ship and aircraft operated on nuclear energy, biofuels and other alternative energy sources.

Mabus is responsible for a U.S. Navy that employs almost 900,000 people, commanding a budget of more than $170 billion. As leader of the world’s sole global navy, Mabus has traveled nearly 715,000 miles to more than 95 different countries to maintain and develop relationships with other national and international leaders and to visit with sailors and Marines deployed or stationed around the world.

Increasing the size of the U.S. naval fleet and protecting the industrial base have been top priorities during Mabus’ tenure. Under Mabus, the Navy has gone from building fewer than five ships a year to having more than 60 ships under contract.

In addition, Mabus was appointed by President Obama in June 2010 to prepare the long-term recovery plan for the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Mabus’ report drew bipartisan support, and Congress enacted many of its recommendations as the Restore Act. The law included a fund to aid in the Gulf Coast’s recovery by distributing 80 percent of any civil penalties awarded as a result of the damage caused by the disaster.

Before his appointment as Secretary of the Navy, Mabus served as governor of Mississippi from 1988 to 1992, the youngest individual elected to that office in more than 150 years. Mabus was ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 1994 to 1996 and later was chairman and CEO of a manufacturing company.

A native of Ackerman, Miss., he received a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Mississippi, a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University, and a law degree, magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School. After Johns Hopkins, Mabus served in the Navy as an officer aboard the cruiser USS Little Rock.

In October, the Class of 2014’s Graduation Committee announced that Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, a four-time winner of the National Football League’s Most Valuable Player award and founder of a charitable organization that has donated more than $6.5 million in grants and programs to youth-based community organizations, will be the featured speaker at Valedictory Exercises on May 17.

Given three options for potential modifications to future Final Exercises, University of Virginia students left little doubt about where they stand on the issue – and where they’d like to stand during the ceremonies.

More than 50 percent of the undergraduate, graduate and professional students who responded to a recent survey said their first choice is for the University to hold two Final Exercises ceremonies on the Lawn.

“The students have spoken loudly and clearly,” U.Va. President Teresa A. Sullivan said. “Maintaining the traditional Lawn experience while ensuring that the maximum number of friends and family may attend is the clear preference among students, and the University will implement their decision for Finals Weekend beginning in 2015.”

Changes are inevitable because extensive renovations to the Rotunda will require the World Heritage Site to be closed to the public for two years. Work begins immediately after graduation ceremonies in May. The increasing crowd size at Final Exercises has also led to safety concerns, so a long-term solution was necessary for reconfiguring the ceremony.

This year’s graduation events will not be affected. But in May 2015, a construction barrier will close the Rotunda and a perimeter area to pedestrian traffic. The closure will prevent graduates in the academic procession from crossing the Rotunda steps on the way to their seats.

Earlier this semester, Sullivan requested the formation of a Graduation Advisory Committee to generate options for a re-imagined Finals Weekend. The committee, consisting of undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and administrators, produced the three options reflected on the survey.

More than 7,000 undergraduate and graduate students – a remarkable 50 percent response rate – completed the survey.

“This extraordinary participation rate impressed everyone,” Sullivan said. “It’s an indication of the passion that students have for Final Exercises and of the vitality of our system of student self-governance.”

In the survey, students were asked to rank three options in order of preference.

Of the 7,181 completed surveys, 3,661 – or 51 percent – ranked the option of holding two ceremonies on the Lawn on two separate days as the first choice. Ceremonies for the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences would be held on one day and those for all other schools on the other.

The second-most-popular selection among survey respondents as the first choice was to maintain ceremonies on the Lawn as they are currently structured, but sharply limit the number of guests. Under that option, each 2015 graduate would have received two guest tickets, rather than three. A standing-room-only area used in previous ceremonies would no longer be available. Almost 30 percent, or 2,144 of survey respondents, ranked this option as their first choice.

Only 19.2 percent, or 1,376 respondents, said their top choice would be for students to walk the Lawn on the way to Scott Stadium, where Final Exercises would be held. Despite the significant change proposed, the option would have provided a benefit of unlimited guest seating at the stadium, plus better access to restrooms and concessions.

Of the students completing the survey, 6,372 were undergraduates and 809 were graduate or professional students. The results were consistent across genders, graduating classes and among undergraduate and graduate students.

“All three options protected the tradition of having students walk the Lawn, but it was clear from the survey results that future graduates didn’t view them equally,” said advisory committee member Will Laverack, incoming president of the Class of 2015. “I’m grateful for the strong participation in the process and now look forward to implementing the option selected and finding ways to ensure that Final Exercises remains special for everyone involved.”

Final Exercises are now held on Sunday, with a large crowd filling the Lawn. Currently, each graduate gets three tickets for guest seats. Those without tickets may watch from a standing-room area on the north end of the Lawn, or from one of 10 remote viewing sites across Grounds.

The new, two-ceremony arrangement will make the crowd sizes for each ceremony smaller, leading to improved safety. This change also will allow for more guest seating tickets being distributed to each graduating student.

The University of Virginia’s Class Valedictory Exercises will be held May 17, and Final Exercises will be held May 18.

Saturday’s ceremony begins at 11 a.m. The Academic Procession and Final Exercises begin at 10 a.m. Sunday. Both events will be held on the Lawn. In case of severe weather, the ceremonies will be held at John Paul Jones Arena.

Media interested in covering either event should note the following:

• Each media member must be credentialed, including all members of TV crews. To obtain credentials, email Penney Catlett of University Communications at pdc@virginia.edu by May 15.
• Parking for media will be available in the R2 lot, located near the Physics Building and Bavaro Hall. Dashboard permits will be required. Parking is limited and passes will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional public parking will be available at several locations, including Scott Stadium and University Hall. Shuttle bus service to the Lawn is provided. (More information here.)
• Credentials and parking permits can be picked up at the University Communications Office, 400 Ray C. Hunt Drive in Fontaine Research Park, until 5 p.m. on May 16, or at the Rotunda (Office of Development entrance) on Saturday and Sunday mornings starting at 8 a.m.
• While on Grounds, you must display your credentials.
• Satellite trucks and vans will not be permitted on Central Grounds.
• TV cameras may film on the north side of the Rotunda (the public side) where graduates congregate. There will also be a camera platform in the media area on the south end of the Lawn in front of the stage for both Valediction and Final Exercises. By the time the Academic Procession starts on Sunday at 10 a.m., all TV cameras must be in the media area. Still photographers will not be allowed to walk with graduates during the procession.
• The media area on the Lawn will accommodate only a few TV cameras. Requests will be handled on a space-available basis.

Valedictory and Final Exercises will be livestreamed at www.virginia.edu/live.

For information, visit the University’s Finals website.

Media needing assistance on Saturday or Sunday may call Rebecca Arrington, assistant director of media relations, at 434-249-3920, or Anthony de Bruyn, deputy chief of university relations, at 512-560-1780.

About the speakers:

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, a five-time winner of the National Football League’s Most Valuable Player award and founder of a charitable organization that has donated more than $6.5 million in grants and programs to youth-based community organizations, will be the featured speaker at Valedictory Exercises on May 17.

Manning’s wife, Ashley, is a 1997 graduate of U.Va.’s McIntire School of Commerce.

Manning founded the PeyBack Foundation in 1999 “to promote the future success of disadvantaged youth by assisting programs that provide leadership and growth opportunities for children at risk.” The foundation supports youth-based community organizations in Colorado (where he plays for the Denver Broncos), Indiana (where he began his NFL career with the Indianapolis Colts), Tennessee (where he starred at the University of Tennessee) and Louisiana (his home state).

Additionally, Manning maintains a strong relationship with the former St. Vincent’s Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis, which in 2007 was renamed the “Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at St. Vincent.” He started the Peyton Manning Scholarship program at the University of Tennessee that has honored 20 incoming students in the past 16 years for their academic achievement, leadership and community service. He is a member of the Board of Visitors for the University of Tennessee’s College of Arts and Sciences, the National Football Foundation Scholarship Athlete Advisory Board and the American Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet.

Though he has a reputation for being exacting on the football field, he has also shown a lighter side. He hosted a well-received episode of “Saturday Night Live” in March 2007, and is a master pitchman in humorous television advertisements, often appearing alongside his younger brother, Eli, the star quarterback of the NFL’s New York Giants.

Ray Mabus, the U.S. Secretary of the Navy, will deliver the commencement address. The former governor of Mississippi and ambassador to Saudi Arabia will speak on the Lawn following the traditional academic procession.

Since beginning his tenure in 2009 as the top civilian official in the U.S. Navy, Mabus has taken on several goals: improving the quality of life of sailors, Marines and their families; decreasing the department’s dependence on fossil fuels; and revitalizing the Navy’s shipbuilding program. Last year, he introduced the “21st Century Sailor and Marine” initiative, which aims to build and maintain the most resilient and ready force possible.

Mabus has directed the Navy and Marine Corps to obtain at least 50 percent of their energy from alternative sources by 2020. As part of that ambitious goal, the Navy last year demonstrated the Great Green Fleet, a carrier strike group in which every ship and aircraft operated on nuclear energy, biofuels and other alternative energy sources.

Mabus is responsible for a U.S. Navy that employs almost 900,000 people, commanding a budget of more than $170 billion. As leader of the world’s sole global navy, Mabus has traveled nearly 715,000 miles to more than 95 different countries to maintain and develop relationships with other national and international leaders and to visit with sailors and Marines deployed or stationed around the world.

Increasing the size of the U.S. naval fleet and protecting the industrial base have been top priorities during Mabus’ tenure. Under Mabus, the Navy has gone from building fewer than five ships a year to having more than 60 ships under contract.

In addition, Mabus was appointed by President Obama in June 2010 to prepare the long-term recovery plan for the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Mabus’ report drew bipartisan support, and Congress enacted many of its recommendations as the Restore Act. The law included a fund to aid in the Gulf Coast’s recovery by distributing 80 percent of any civil penalties awarded as a result of the damage caused by the disaster.

Before his appointment as Secretary of the Navy, Mabus served as governor of Mississippi from 1988 to 1992, the youngest individual elected to that office in more than 150 years. Mabus was ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 1994 to 1996 and later was chairman and CEO of a manufacturing company.

A native of Ackerman, Mississippi, he received a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Mississippi, a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University, and a law degree, magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School. After Johns Hopkins, Mabus served in the Navy as an officer aboard the cruiser USS Little Rock.

The University of Virginia will host two graduation ceremonies on Finals Weekend, to be held May 15-17. And that will mean two featured speakers.

On Saturday, May 16, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe will address graduates of the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. On Sunday, May 17, Robert F. Bruner, the outgoing dean of U.Va.’s Darden School of Business, will speak to graduates of the University’s other 10 schools, plus the first graduates from U.Va.’s Data Science Institute.

Ongoing renovations to the University’s Rotunda and the growing crowds that have flocked to Final Exercises in recent years made it impossible for the University to continue its one-ceremony tradition. Construction fences encroach on spectator areas on the north end of the Lawn and will prevent the graduation procession from forming on the Rotunda’s north plaza.

Students scheduled to graduate in 2015 and later voted last spring to split graduation into two ceremonies rather than move it to another location or further limit the number of guest tickets available per student.

University officials expect approximately 6,500 students to complete degree requirements during the current academic year and graduate in May.

Saturday, May 16 Speaker: Gov. Terry McAuliffe

“We are delighted that Governor McAuliffe will speak at Final Exercises,” U.Va. President Teresa A. Sullivan said. “This is a continuation of the University’s long-standing tradition of inviting Virginia’s governor to speak at a Finals ceremony during his four-year term in office. The governor’s participation will make the day even more meaningful for our students and families.”

Sworn in as Virginia’s 72^nd governor in January, McAuliffe has worked to grow and diversify Virginia’s economy and encourage more businesses across the nation and globe to locate in the commonwealth.

Previous Virginia governors with U.Va. ties have included University founder Thomas Jefferson; former U.Va. President Colgate Darden; and Gerald Baliles, director and CEO of U.Va.’s Miller Center.

Before entering politics, McAuliffe was a banker, real estate developer, home builder and Internet venture capitalist. In 1985, McAuliffe helped found the Federal City National Bank in Washington, D.C. In January 1988, the bank’s board elected McAuliffe chairman at age 30, making him the youngest elected chairman of a federally chartered bank in U.S. history.

McAuliffe’s memoir, “What a Party! My Life Among Democrats: Presidents, Candidates, Donors, Activists, Alligators, and Other Wild Animals,” was a New York Times best seller.

He attended Catholic University and Georgetown Law School. He and his wife, Dorothy, have five children.

Sunday, May 17 Speaker: Darden Dean Robert F. Bruner

Bruner joined the U.Va. faculty in 1982 and became the eighth dean of the Darden School in 2005. In April, he announced he would step down at the end of the current academic year after a successful tenure that included being named 2011 “Dean of the Year” by CNN Money/Fortune and Poets and Quants, a media outlet dedicated to graduate business education.

“Bob Bruner’s impact on Darden has been transformational and will carry the school forward,” Sullivan said when Bruner announced his intent to step down as dean at the end of his current term. “Darden is recognized worldwide for student satisfaction and for delivering the best graduate business education experience. Bob and his team have achieved this reputation through curricular innovations, the launch of two new formats of the Darden MBA, an unrelenting search for top faculty and student talent, and attention to every detail of the academic experience.”

Under Bruner’s leadership, Darden is consistently listed among the world’s best graduate business schools. In early October, The Economist magazine ranked Darden’s M.B.A. program No. 3 in the world.

Among business school deans, Bruner is recognized as a pioneer in the use of social media. He started his popular and wide-ranging Dean’s Blogin 2006 and is a prolific tweeter. He has encouraged leading-edge efforts in technology at Darden, including the school’s 2009 collaboration with Amazon to pilot e-readers in the classroom and the 2013 delivery of several massive open online courses on the Coursera platform. More than 600,000 people registered for the courses.

An expert in finance and management, Bruner has received numerous awards for teaching, research and case writing. Six times, Darden students selected him as a faculty marshal in recognition of his teaching excellence; five times he was cited for teaching excellence in the biannual “BusinessWeek Guide to the Best Business Schools.” In 1995, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia gave him its Outstanding Faculty Award.

Born in Chicago and raised in Wisconsin, Bruner received a B.A. from Yale University and the MBA and DBA degrees from Harvard University. A master of the case study classroom, he teaches and conducts research in finance and management and has served as a visiting professor at the international graduate business school INSEAD, at IESE, the graduate business school of the University of Navarra, and at Columbia University business schools. He has written or co-written some 300 case studies and several books, including “Deals From Hell,” “Applied Mergers and Acquisitions,” “Case Studies in Finance” and “The Panic of 1907: Lessons Learned From the Market’s Perfect Storm.”

Bruner and his wife, Bobbie, have two sons.

After a year’s sabbatical, Bruner will return to the classroom in 2016.