A total of 1,209 students are eligible to participate in Wichita State University’s 127th fall commencement ceremonies Sunday, Dec. 15 in Charles Koch Arena. Degrees will be conferred at the following ceremonies:  

• 1 p.m.: All graduate degree programs
• 5 p.m.: All undergraduate degree programs. Guest speaker: Judge Dave Dahl 

All graduates will walk across the stage and be individually recognized. Doctoral candidates will be hooded at the 1 p.m. ceremony. 

“Commencement is a defining moment in the lives of our graduates. It is the culmination of their hard work and commitment to their goals,” said Wichita State President Rick Muma. “We’re proud to celebrate their achievements and confident that each one will make a profound impact on the world as they embark on the next chapter of their journeys.” 

The Honorable Dave Dahl, judge of Division 2 of the Sedgwick County District Court, will receive the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. An honorary degree is an exceptional honor bestowed upon a person without fulfillment of the usual requirements. It is conferred only upon persons of notable intellectual, scholarly, professional, creative achievement or service to humanity consistent with the endeavors of WSU. 

Dahl will also be the speaker during the undergraduate ceremony.  

All graduation attendees will be required to be screened by security personnel and metal detectors as they enter the arena. Koch Arena will open at noon. It’s recommended audience members arrive early to allow sufficient time to get through security. There will also be a clear-bag policy for all those in attendance. Read more about Wichita State’s security guidelines.  

Please note that guest seating will be on a first-come basis, and no tickets will be required for entrance. 

For individuals unable to attend in person, the ceremonies will be available via online livestream. To view the ceremonies, go to wichita.edu/commencement and scroll down to "Watch the Livestream” and click “Watch.” Livestreams will begin 20 minutes before each ceremony.  

For more information regarding commencement, consult the commencement FAQ online. 

Additionally, graduates may bring up to two family members or friends to The Toast, a celebration of the years of hard work graduates have put into earning their degrees. The Toast is scheduled for 5 p.m. p.m. Dec. 13 in Beggs Ballroom on the third floor of the Rhatigan Student Center. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. Learn more about The Toast. 

Dahl received his undergraduate and master’s degree in business from Wichita State and a law degree from Washburn University. He was a three-year letter winner and two-time most inspirational player on the Shocker Men’s Basketball team. He has been a radio color commentator on the WSU basketball games with Mike Kennedy for 44 years, and he was inducted into the Wichita Sports Hall of Fame in 2010 for his broadcasting. In addition to his judicial and broadcasting achievements, he has taught entrepreneurship at Wichita State for 46 years, inspiring countless students with his commitment to education and service.

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Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 23,000 students between its main campus and WSU Tech, including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.

Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.

The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.

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