This story will be updated as speaker details for some schools are finalized.
Graduate and professional schools at the University of Pittsburgh will hold ceremonies to recognize their graduates throughout April and May. Find information on a participating in the festivities, guest tickets and regalia.
Here are this year’s celebrations, listed in chronological order.
Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
When: 11 a.m., Thursday, April 25
Where: Fitzgerald Field House
Speaker: Adrienne Washington (A&S ’10G, ’16G) is an assistant professor in the Department of World Languages, Literature and Linguistics at West Virginia University. Her sociocultural linguistics research explores the social use of language among intersectional communities of the African diaspora in various locations.
School of Pharmacy
When: 10:30 a.m., Friday, April 26
Where: Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum
Speaker: The graduating student speakers at this ceremony will include Abigail Stewart (PHARM ’22), class of 2024 president, and Yuang Chen (A&S ’17).
Swanson School of Engineering
When: noon, Friday, April 26
Where: Bellefield Hall Auditorium
Speaker: Raman Venkatesh is the first chief sustainability officer for Medtronic, a medical device company. Before this appointment, Venkatesh served as an advisor to several venture capital funds in healthcare, energy and mobility and was executive vice president of Aquaporin, a company focused on improving water treatment and use.
Graduate School of Public and International Affairs
When: 3:30 p.m., Friday, April 26
Where: Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum
Visit the GSPIA commencement page to RSVP for the event and learn more.
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
When: 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., Saturday, April 27
Where: Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum
Speakers: Pat Croce (SHRS ’77), a New York Times bestselling author and entrepreneur with ventures in sports medicine, hospitality and professional sports (including serving as a minority owner and CEO of the Philadelphia 76ers), will speak at the morning ceremony. Gregory Meloy (SHRS ’07) will speak at the afternoon ceremony. He is a celebrated orthopedic surgeon practicing in his hometown of Altoona, Pennsylvania, who completed his residency under the tutelage of Freddie Fu. Attendees will also hear from Anantha Shekhar, senior vice chancellor for the health sciences and John and Gertrude Petersen Dean of the School of Medicine.
Find more SHRS commencement information online.
School of Social Work
When: 5 p.m., Sunday, April 28
Where: Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum
Speaker: Anthony Estreet is chief executive officer of the National Association of Social Workers, the largest membership organization of professional social workers globally. He also is a professor for the Master of Social Work program at Morgan State University.
School of Law
When: 11 a.m., Friday, May 3
Where: Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum
Speaker: Emily Kinkead (LAW ’16) is a Pennsylvania State Representative committed to eliminating barriers for working families. Kinkead was elected to serve Pennsylvania’s 20th Legislative District in 2020.
School of Medicine
When: 2 p.m., Sunday, May 29
Where: Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum
Speaker: Jeanne M. Marrazzo succeeded Anthony Fauci as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. In this role, she oversees a $6.3 billion budget that supports research to advance the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of infectious, immunologic and allergic diseases to improve the health of millions globally.
— Kara Henderson, photography by Aimee Obidzinski
