More than 50 University of Nevada student-athletes will graduate in commencement ceremonies this spring and summer, the athletics department announced today.

With 54 student-athletes and 11 members of the Wolf Pack spirit squads having applied for graduation, a total of 65 students representing Nevada athletics will be earning degrees as part of commencement ceremonies, which begin Thursday and continue through Saturday on the University's campus.

Twelve Wolf Pack sports are represented in this year's graduating class. Graduating Nevada student-athletes are given a special silver and blue sash to wear at Commencement in recognition of their efforts as student-athletes. The graduates will also be honored at a special reception on Thursday at the Basin Street Club at Mackay Stadium.

"From the time our student-athletes step on campus as freshmen, the ultimate goal is to walk across that stage with a degree in hand," said athletics director Doug Knuth. "We will forever be thankful of all that these student-athletes have contributed to our University, and we will forever be proud of their accomplishments."

The University's 2017 Spring Commencement will confer 2,808 degrees. The commencement exercises will take place over four ceremonies in three days - Thursday, May 18; Friday, May 19 and Saturday, May 20 - and will be on the University's historic Quad, located on the southern part of campus. Each ceremony focuses on particular colleges. Both undergraduate and graduate degrees from each of those colleges are granted at each ceremony.
5 p.m. Thursday, May 18: College of Engineering, Orvis School of Nursing and College of Science
8 a.m. Friday, May 19: College of Business and the Division of Health Sciences
5 p.m. Friday, May 19: College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources and the College of Education
8 a.m. Saturday, May 20: College of Liberal Arts and the Reynolds School of Journalism
Students receiving dual degrees may participate in more than one ceremony.

During the University's Commencement ceremonies this year, 2,278 bachelor degrees, 469 advanced-degree certificates (master's and doctoral degrees) and 61 University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine degrees will be awarded. The University awarded 2,649 total degrees last spring and has seen a 50-percent increase in degrees conferred since 2010 due to increased enrollment and improved graduation rates.

Free public parking is available in the West Stadium Parking Complex and the Blue and Green surface lots. Shuttles will be available two hours before each ceremony. The Brian J. Whalen Parking Complex will be available for handicap parking. Due to construction on North Virginia Street and the increased traffic seen around Commencement ceremonies, the public is strongly encouraged to allow extra time and arrive early.

A mobile-friendly live-stream of all four ceremonies will be available at unr.edu/live. Closed captioning on mobile devices and unr.edu/live for the hearing impaired will also be available and can be accessed through a QR code provided at the event.

Including this spring and summer's graduates, Nevada has seen 841 of its student-athletes graduate in the past 11 years, a figure that includes 24 student-athletes who walked in commencement ceremonies this past December.

The 2017 spring and summer graduates: