It’s the most wonderful time of the year — Commencement time at the University of Northern Iowa! More than 600 students are preparing for the next phase as they conclude their education at UNI. Most will participate in the Commencement ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 10 a.m. in the McLeod Center.

UNI students who are earning their undergraduate or graduate degrees, include:

• 175 students in the College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences
• 172 students in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
• 147 students in the College of Education 
• 114 students in the David W. Wilson College of Business 
• 34 interdisciplinary students

More than 200 students identify themselves as first-generation college graduates.

Panther grads come from a wide variety of backgrounds, representing 7 countries:

• Austria
• Brazil
• China
• Hong Kong
• Japan
• Pakistan
• United States

. . . 15 states:

• Alaska
• Alabama
• California
• Colorado
• Georgia
• Iowa
• Illinois
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• New York
• Ohio
• Texas
• Wisconsin

. . . and 86 of Iowa’s 99 counties.

Graduating students also cover a broad spectrum of ages, with undergraduates ranging from 20 to 59 years old and graduate students from 22 to 54 years old.

These students are high achievers with an average cumulative GPA of 3.38 for undergraduates. 13% of all undergraduate students are earning a degree in multiple majors.

Graduation rates for UNI students stand at record levels, nearly 20 percentage points above similar universities. One in 11 students graduate in just three years.