Spring 2019 Commencement The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Spring 2019 Commencement will take place Thursday, May 2, 2019 at the Von Braun Center in the Propst Arena. The ceremonies will include students who have completed degree requirements in the Spring semester. Doctoral, Masters, and Bachelors degrees will be presented. 10:00 a.m. Ceremony: Colleges of Engineering and Business 2:30 p.m. Ceremony: Colleges of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences, Education, Nursing, Professional & Continuing Studies, and Science Graduating students for the 10:00 a.m. ceremony may begin checking in at the East Hall at 9:00 a.m. Graduating students for the 2:30 p.m. ceremony may begin checking in at the East Hall at 1:30 p.m. The arena will open at 9:00 a.m. for guests for the 10:00 a.m. ceremony. The arena will open at 1:30 p.m. for guests for the 2:30 p.m. ceremony. VBC Rules and Regulations Spring 2019 10am Commencement Speaker: Tommy Battle Mayor: City of Huntsville Now in his third term, Mayor Tommy Battle is dedicated to creating jobs and diversifying Huntsville’s economic base. Through his leadership, the Mayor has assembled a coalition of regional leaders committed to recruiting industry, workforce development and high quality education. As a result, Huntsville leads the state in new jobs and economic investment. The Mayor’s goal is to make the best possible use of Huntsville’s collective brainpower to ensure that the City becomes a global leader in innovation, research and development. GEO, Cyber, Energy and Biotech initiatives work to unite the City’s rich intellectual capital with new opportunities. Mayor Battle believes Huntsville’s continued success is a result of its ability to think strategically for the long-term. He directed the City’s planning department to enjoin the community in a comprehensive master plan that will shape the city’s future for decades to come. The BIG Picture is tackling planning and quality of life decisions regarding neighborhood revitalization, urban redevelopment, recreation, transportation, design standards, and code and zoning changes. The Mayor works for smart, measured growth with an infrastructure that allows citizens to maintain a high quality of life. When state and federal transportation budgets were cut, Battle negotiated an unprecedented $250 million, five-year, cost-sharing road package with the State to ensure Huntsville would build the critical roads it needs to move traffic. A champion of teamwork, Battle strives to work collaboratively with leadership and citizens. Through the Mayor’s fiscally conservative leadership, the City has maintained a balanced budget and earned triple-A credit ratings from two leading rating agencies every year since 2009. Triple A credit is a distinction held by a small percentage of municipalities in the U.S. As a result, Huntsville is in an enviable position of stability and growth that has earned it global attention. Born in Birmingham in 1955, Mayor Battle moved to Huntsville in 1980 after receiving a business degree from The University of Alabama. Four years later, he was elected to the Huntsville City Council, where he served as Finance Chair. He has enjoyed a successful career as an entrepreneur and businessman, along with nearly 30 years of community service. The Mayor is married to the former Eula Sammons, a retired kindergarten teacher. They have one son, Drew, daughter-in-law, Lauren, and grandsons, George and Benjamin. Spring 2019 2:30pm Commencement Speaker: Dale Strong Chairman: Madison County Commission Dale W. Strong was elected Chairman of the Madison County Commission in November 2012, and reelected to a 2nd term in November 2016. Born at Medical Center Hospital in Huntsville, Alabama, Dale has lived in Madison County all his life. His wife, the former Laura Toney of Madison, has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Auburn University. She is also a graduate from the University of Alabama in Birmingham with a Bachelor of Science in Hospital Administration, and Alabama A & M University with a Master’s in Education. Chairman Strong and his wife have one daughter, Whitney Louise Strong and one son, Harrison Dale Strong. Chairman Strong is the son of the late Horace N. Strong, III and Judy Vaughn Strong. Dale is a member of Mt. Zion Baptist Church. Dale graduated from Sparkman High School in May 1988. In 1992, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Athens State College. He also attended the University of Alabama in Huntsville and the University of Alabama in Birmingham where he received a license as an Emergency Medical Technician. In 1996, Dale was the youngest elected commissioner in the State of Alabama when he began his first of four consecutive terms as the District 4 Commissioner. Dale was awarded with the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2017 by the Athens State University Alumni Association, and the Heart of an Eagle Award in 2018 by the Boy Scouts of America. Before Dale set his sights on being Commissioner of Madison County, he worked for First Alabama Bank in Public Relations and Solvay Pharmaceutical as a Sales Representative. He has also served as a 911 Dispatcher and worked with Huntsville Emergency Medical Services, Inc. (HEMSI) and Huntsville Med-Flight. Dale continues to serve as an active member of the Monrovia Volunteer Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter and an EMT. His commitment to the service of others and his community was recognized when he was awarded the Medal of Valor following the devastating tornado on Airport Road in Huntsville in November 1989. As Madison County Commission Chairman, Mr. Strong's priorities continue to be public safety, accountability and equality. Information Apply to GraduateDiploma InformationCountdown to Cap and Gown Graduation ChecklistHonors and Honor SocietiesParticipants List (Spring 2019) Schedule of Events 10:00 a.m. Ceremony TimeEventLocation 9:00 a.m. Students check-in East Hall 9:00 a.m. Doors open for guests Propst Arena 10:00 a.m. Ceremony begins Propst Arena Schedule of Events 2:30 p.m. Ceremony TimeEventLocation 1:30 p.m. Students check-in East Hall 1:30 p.m. Doors open for guests Propst Arena 2:30 p.m. Ceremony begins Propst Arena Note: If there is an event at the same time as Commencement, please arrive 15-20 minutes before doors open. Candidate Instructions Guests No tickets are required for guests. Please notify family and friends that the doors will open exactly one hour prior to the scheduled ceremony time. Guests, family members and spouses are not permitted in the assembly or robing areas and should go directly to the arena. The Von Braun Center is committed to creating a safe, comfortable and enjoyable experience for all guests. All patrons entering the Von Braun Center during an event are subject to screening, which varies from event-to-event. Screenings range from visual inspection and bag search to screenings by a magnetometer (metal detector) and/or pat-down search conducted by security personnel. The purpose of the inspection is to detect prohibited items. For more information about prohibited items, please visit the VBC website. Commencement Guide Download PDF Candidates Candidates will need to arrive at the Von Braun Center one and a half hours prior to the scheduled ceremony time. See the Von Braun Center Propst Arena Layout Map for student seating locations. Line-Up and Procession Students should report to their college line-up area in the Von Braun Center East Hall no later than one hour prior to the ceremony. You will receive a line-up card indicating your number in line and be instructed by University staff about when and where to line up. Your line-up card is the key to get you across the stage. Commencement in 2 minutes! Student perspective Participation in Commencement Fall Commencement - Students who have completed degree requirements in the Summer semester, as well as those who have applied for graduation and will complete all degree requirements for the Fall semester. Spring Commencement - Students who have applied for graduation and will complete all degree requirements for the Spring semester. Doctoral candidates must notify Graduates Studies in order to participate in the ceremony. What to Bring to Commencement Degree candidates should purchase their caps and gowns from the UAH Campus Bookstore prior to the ceremony and must bring them, along with their tassels, to Commencement. Students should not bring purses, cell phones, etc., into the Von Braun Center. Personal items may not be left in the assembly or robing areas during the ceremony. Please refer to Guest Searches in the Commencement Guide for more information on prohibited items. Academic Regalia Commencement is an occasion marking a special time in a student's academic career. Appropriate attire for the occasion is a black academic gown and mortarboard with no personal accessories or messages. Undergraduate student members of academic honor societies may wear the insignia or honor cord of that academic honor society. Flowers, personal jewelry, pins or cords from social fraternities and sororities are not to be worn on academic robes. All graduates participating in the ceremony must wear their academic regalia. Caps and Gowns Caps and gowns may be purchased at Countdown to Cap and Gown or in the UAH Campus Bookstore Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Doctoral candidates should pre-order your cap and gown at least one month prior to the ceremony. Tassel Colors Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences - White Business - Drab Education - Light Blue Engineering - Orange Nursing - Apricot Science - Gold Professional Studies - Black Doctoral - Old Gold Future Commencement Dates Fall 2019 Commencement: Monday, December 16, 2019Spring 2020 Commencement: Thursday, April 30, 2020Fall 2020 Commencement: Monday, December 14, 2020Additional dates can be found at this link.