Michigan State University will honor more than 400 graduates from the College of Engineering during Commencement on Dec. 15-16, 2023. Engineering will graduate around 325 undergraduates, 47 master’s degree and 44 Ph.D. candidates during two graduation ceremonies.
The schedule for Engineering graduates is:
Friday, Dec. 15, 2023
- Master’s and Doctoral degree ceremony, 3:30 p.m., in the Jack Breslin Student Events Center, 534 Birch Road, East Lansing. No admission tickets are required. The ceremony is about two hours long.
Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023
- Undergraduates ceremony is 2 p.m. Engineering will share its undergraduates ceremony with graduates from Agriculture and Natural Resources, Communication Arts & Sciences, Lyman Briggs, Natural Science, and Nursing. The ceremony is in the Jack Breslin Student Events Center, 534 Birch Road, East Lansing. No admission tickets are required. The ceremony is about two hours long.
College of Engineering Dean Leo Kempel congratulates all fall graduates for their achievements and encourages them to make an impact with their diverse skillsets and experiences.
“As Spartan engineers you have the ability and obligation to shape a better future,” Kempel said. “Your hard work and passion for engineering has prepared you for the challenges and innovations that lie ahead.”
This year’s College of Engineering banner carrier is Nathan Daniel Kowalski, a native of Mount Prospect, Ill., near Chicago. He’s graduating this fall with dual degrees in computer science and mechanical engineering – with a biomedical concentration.
“It’s a huge blessing that I understand engineering,” Kowalski said. “I want to use these gifts that I have learned at MSU to make the world a better place and meet the needs of others.”
Upon graduation, Kowalski will start work at a Holt, Mich.-based company called Block Imaging, a medical equipment supplier. He is one of an estimated 4,400 fall graduates university-wide that are composed of more than 34 countries, 38 states and 72 of Michigan’s 83 counties.
Safety protocols, food, parking, guest policy
For the safety of attendees, only small, clear bags are allowed at commencement. Cameras, camcorders and certain carrying cases also are permitted. More information about the bag policy can be found on the Breslin Center’s website. No food or beverages — including bottled water — will be allowed, and this applies to graduates, guests and faculty.
Breslin Center will offer a limited concessions menu during the ceremonies. Additional prohibited items include noisemakers, selfie sticks, pets, signs and weapons of any form. Breslin Center is a smoke-free facility.
Parking on campus near Breslin is free for Friday’s and Saturday’s commencement ceremonies. For more information about parking visit the following link: commencement.msu.edu/guests/directions-parking.
There are no limits on the number of guests per graduate. Gates and doors at Breslin Center open one hour and 15 minutes prior to each ceremony’s start time.
Metal detectors are located at each Breslin entrance, so visitors are advised to plan accordingly. For a list of permitted and prohibited items at the venue, visit commencement.msu.edu/guests/security.
Livestreaming, social media coverage
For those who can’t attend the ceremonies, each are expected to be livestreamed on the MSU Commencement website: commencement.msu.edu. Previous commencement ceremonies can be viewed at WKAR’s website: video.wkar.org/show/msu-commencements.
Social media users can follow the ceremonies on X, formerly known as Twitter, and other social media platforms using the hash tag #SpartanGrad23.
Personalized messages for graduates
Family, friends and fellow alums will be able to honor graduating students by submitting personalized messages and photos to be displayed on stage prior to the ceremonies. Supporters can submit their well wishes online through graduation day. Each ceremony below has its own unique link for message submissions.
- Link to honor advanced degrees: app.kululu.me/4aoiqk
- Link to honor undergraduates: app.kululu.me/ltod6k
Commencement speakers, programs
A look at this weekend’s speakers for College of Engineering ceremonies:
- 3:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 15 – John Hildebrand, an accomplished scholar in the fields of neurobiology and chemical ecology and international secretary for the National Academy of Sciences.
- 2 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 16 – David MacMillan, James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of Chemistry at Princeton University and recipient of the 2021 Nobel Prize in chemistry.
For more details on all MSU fall commencement speakers, check out the MSU Today story that goes in-depth about their backgrounds.
There are no printed commencement programs on-site for any graduation ceremony. QR codes will be available on-site at Breslin during ceremonies for viewing. To receive a printed copy of the program in the mail, fill out the online Fall 2023 Commencement program request form.
Share a photo of yourself in cap and gown and we’ll post it on Engineering social media as part of our commencement celebration! Send the photo, your name and degree to editor@egr.msu.edu. Include your new job or plans for what’s next, too. And thank you!
Contact: Eric Lacy, Engineering communications manager, at lacyeric@msu.edu.