University Celebrates 2019 Graduates, Presents Honorary Degrees

More than 1,300 undergraduate and graduate students from the class of 2019 were honored at two May 10 commencement ceremonies.

President Ken Gormley conferred degrees and gave remarks at both ceremonies, which were held at PPG Paints Arena.

During the undergraduate ceremony, Gormley presented an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters to both Maxwell King, president and chief executive officer of the Pittsburgh Foundation, and Joanne Byrd Rogers, wife of the late Fred Rogers.

King—who is author of The New York Times best-seller The Good Neighbor, a biography about the life and work of Fred Rogers—delivered the commencement address and Rogers also gave remarks.

The graduates and their families and guests also were treated to Commencement Celebration 2019, which was held on Mellon Hall patio in between the baccalaureate Mass and two ceremonies.