University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, sent the following letter to the University community on Feb. 8:
The spring semester has barely begun, but we are busy making plans for the Universitywide Commencement on Thursday, May 19, 2022. After celebrating virtually for the past two years, this year’s ceremony will be in person barring any unforeseen circumstances.
This year’s Commencement ceremony will be held at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena on the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) due to the renovation of Royal Farms Arena, our usual location.
It is also with great pleasure that I announce that our keynote speaker will be Anthony S. Fauci, MD. Dr. Fauci is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical advisor to the president of the United States. As I’m sure you know, he has been at the forefront of the battle against COVID-19 from the start of the pandemic.
He has advised seven presidents on HIV/AIDS and many other domestic and global health issues. He was one of the principal architects of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a program that has saved millions of lives, thanks in no small part to the researchers at our own School of Medicine.
Dr. Fauci has delivered lectures all over the world and received numerous prestigious awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom (the highest honor given to a civilian by the president of the United States) and the National Medal of Science. We will add to his long list of accolades when we confer upon him the honorary degree Doctor of Public Service.
The UMBC arena has limited capacity, and so this will be a ticketed event. We also plan to hold UMB’s annual Party in the Park on-site following the ceremony. Individual school/department ceremonies will be held later on Thursday, May 19, or Friday, May 20.
More detailed information, including instructions for requesting tickets, will follow as we get closer to Commencement. Please visit the Commencement website that will serve as a repository of information to plan your celebration, including the time and location of school or department ceremonies as well as information about tickets when available.
Commencement is the best day of UMB's year. For graduates, it marks the culmination of a lot of hard work — and the beginning of so much more. I can't imagine there's anything greater to celebrate, and I look forward to doing so in person.