The Spring 2019 Graduate Hooding Ceremony was a wonderful event, as usual. Nearly 440 graduate students participated in the ceremony on Thursday evening, May 9, in Thompson-Boling Arena. The Graduate School would like to extend congratulations to all of our graduates. Well done! For those who were unable to attend, you can still watch the entire ceremony’s webcast.

Jamie Greig, who will be graduating spring 2019 with a PhD in communication and information from the School of Journalism & Electronic Media, will be our featured speaker for the Spring 2019 Graduate Hooding Ceremony. A bio for Greig, who served as both senate chair and vice-president for the Graduate Student Senate, can be found on our featured speakers page, along with previous featured speakers. Join Greig and the Graduate School for the 2019 Graduate Hooding Ceremony on May 9 at 7:30 pm at the Thompson-Boling Arena.

The major graduation deadline for doctoral and master’s/specialist candidates intending to graduate spring 2019 is April 16. Many different things are due, depending upon your degree program. If you’re not sure what you need to do, you can visit the graduation deadlines, the Steps to Graduation, or contact the Graduate School (gradschool@utk.edu).

The 3rd Dissertation Institute (DI) will take place June 23^rd–28^th on the University of California, San Diego campus. This institute, an interactive workshop for underrepresented (African American, Native American, Pacific Island and Hispanic American) graduate students in engineering, is funded by the National Science Foundation and hosted by Old Dominion University and Virginia Tech. The primary goal is to address issues that prolong completion times for those at the dissertation proposal preparation and dissertation completion stages of the targeted population. The application deadline is March 1^st. If you have questions, please email them to dissertationinstitute@gmail.com.

The Writing Center is hosting a Semester Jump-Start for Thesis and Dissertation Writers on January 26, from 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. This workshop will provide time for planning and drafting, plus short presentations about writing, researching, and de-stressing—and more! There will be lunch, coffee and snacks provided, but you need to apply by January 22! Contact the the writing center with any questions (writingcenter@utk.edu).

Congratulations to all of our graduates for fall 2018! We are all grateful we were able to share this moment with you. View images from the event.

The Fall 2018 Graduate Hooding Ceremony will be viewable online live during the event. So, even if you can’t make it, you can still watch and cheer on our graduates on December 13, starting at 4:30 p.m. View the ceremony for this semester and previous semesters!

UT wants to ensure that all participants and their family and friends have a safe and enjoyable evening at the Fall 2018 Graduate Hooding Ceremony. There are security protocols that you should be aware of when planning to attend. Thompson Boling Arena has a Clear Bag Policy in effect for its events, and the hooding ceremony is no exception. In addition, there are metal detectors that will be used at the entrances. In order to help you be prepared, we have created a page with guidance on these policies. Be sure to read about what you can bring and what you shouldn’t bring, and leave yourself some extra time when arriving, so you don’t experience any delays.

On December 13, Suresh Poudel will be the featured speaker at the Fall 2018 Graduate Hooding Ceremony. His exceptional journey has taken him from Nepal to Norway to Tennessee, and we are looking forward to hearing him speak to our graduates. You are encouraged to read Poudel’s bio and get a sampling of his story.
While you’re there, be sure to look over the rest of the Graduate Hooding Ceremony pages, especially if you’re planning to participate in the ceremony.