UI, Kirkwood spring commencements this week

Nearly 4,800 University of Iowa students will receive degrees during spring 2012 commencement ceremonies.

Many of the UI commencement ceremonies will be held Saturday. The largest ceremony, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences event, will be 9 a.m. at Carver Hawkeye Arena, with UI President Sally Mason awarding about 2,145 bachelor's degrees. Also Saturday, The College of Engineering ceremony will be at 10 a.m. at the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, Coralville and the Graduate College ceremony will be at 3 p.m. in Carver Hawkeye Arena.

The Tippie College of Business ceremony will be 1 p.m. Sunday in Carver Hawkeye Arena.

This year, the UI also presents honorary degrees to three Iowans, recognizing former Iowa governor Robert Ray, former state Board of Regents president Stanley Redeker and pharmacy leader Robert Osterhaus. Ray will receive an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree at College of Law commencement Friday. Redeker will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at the Graduate College ceremony. Osterhaus will received an Honorary Doctor of Science degree at College of Pharmacy commencement Thursday.

Also this week, Kirkwood Community College will hold spring commencement activities Friday and Saturday.

Kirkwood will honor more than 2,750 students in commencement ceremonies for its college credit and GED/adult high school programs this week. Both ceremonies will be held at Prairie High School in Cedar Rapids.

Kirkwood will confer 2,290 college credit degrees, diplomas and certificates for study in the past academic year. The college also has awarded more than 465 GED and adult high school diplomas in 2011-12.

The Kirkwood Adult High School Commencement is set for 7:30 p.m., Friday. The college commencement will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday.