Photo gallery Photo gallery – Commencement 2019
![Photo of a waiter delivering plates of food to the table where speaker J.J. Watt and others are seated.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/Mickies_JJ_Watt19_0377.jpg)
Photo by: Jeff Miller
Keynote speaker J.J. Watt, left, enjoys breakfast Saturday morning at Mickies Dairy Bar with Chancellor Rebecca Blank (opposite Watt), Athletic Director Barry Alvarez (right) and Deputy Athletic Director Chris MacIntosh (opposite Alvarez).![Photo of graduate sporting pink fluffy slides.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/fluffy-shoes.jpg)
Photo by: Jeff Miller
Soon-to-be-graduate Rachel Crews wears a pair of pink Ugg slides as family members make pictures of the her outside Camp Randall Stadium.![A group of students poses with the Graduation Bucky statue.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/grads-with-Bucky.jpg)
Photo by: Jeff Miller
Graduation Bucky traveled to Camp Randall to be ready for photos with students.![A graduate and his girlfriend share a kiss.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/kiss.jpg)
Photo by: Bryce Richter
Evan Lallensack (left), receiving his bachelor's in materials science, gets a kiss from his girlfriend before the ceremony.![Photo of players with the hockey trophy.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/womens-hockey.jpg)
Photo by: Bryce Richter
Graduating members of the women's hockey team brought some bling to the ceremony: the NCAA National Championship trophy they recently won. From left: Annie Pankowski, Sophia Shaver, Mikaela Gardner, Emily Clark and Maddie Rolfes.![Photo of a crowd of graduates entering the stadium.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/grads-in-tunnel.jpg)
Photo by: Jeff Miller
Students enter the stadium dancing to the song "We Are Family" before the start of Saturday's ceremony.![Photo of the UW MadHatters singing on stage.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/sweet-caroline.jpg)
Photo by: Bryce Richter
Members of the UW MadHatters lead the crowd in a rousing rendition of "Sweet Caroline."![Photo of J.J. Watt speaking at the podium.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/JJ-at-podium-1.jpg)
Photo by: Bryce Richter
"You should have as big dreams as you want in this world," speaker J.J. Watt told the graduates. "I once had a teacher tell me that my dream of being in the NFL was unrealistic. Well, hello."![Photo of a graduate video chatting on her phone.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/selfie.jpg)
Photo by: Bryce Richter
Brittany Neal (left), receiving her master's degree in social work, video chats with family during the ceremony.![Photo of a graduate holding a plush Bucky Badger](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/study-buddy.jpg)
Photo by: Jeff Miller
Dengsheng Chen, earning a master's degree in economics, holds a plush Bucky Badger.![Photo of two graduates smiling and giving a thumbs up](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/thumbs-up.jpg)
Photo by: Bryce Richter
Kylie Jackson, left, receiving her bachelor's in rehabilitation psychology, celebrates with Anisa Yudawanti, receiving her bachelor's degree in education studies.![Photo of graduates moving the tassels on their mortarboards.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/tassel-turn.jpg)
Photo by: Jeff Miller
School of Nursing graduates MacKenzie Femrite, left, and Lauren Wilmet move their tassels to the right side of their mortarboards to mark that they've graduated.![Photo of the chancellor and Watt leading the procession out of the stadium.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/walking-out.jpg)
Photo by: Jeff Miller
Chancellor Blank and J.J. Watt lead the procession out of the stadium following the ceremony.![Photo of a graduate playing the trumpet and wearing sunglasses that read '2019.'](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/sunglasses.jpg)
Photo by: Jeff Miller
Juju Dessert, a UW Marching Band member graduating with a bachelor's in entomology, borrows a friend's trombone to play "Swingtown" one more time with her band mates following the ceremony.![Photo of a woman carrying balloons and flowers.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/Commence_Kohl19_0018.jpg)
Photo by: Jeff Miller
A guest carries an assortment of congratulatory balloons and flowers before Friday's commencement ceremony at the Kohl Center.![Photo of mortarboards reading](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/Commence_Kohl19_0099.jpg)
Photo by: Jeff Miller
Suriya Xiong (right) and Phoua Yang (left), both receiving their doctoral degrees in pharmacy, display personalized graduation caps celebrating their Hmong heritage during Friday's ceremony at the Kohl Center.![Photo of a new graduate being hugged by a professor.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/Commence_Kohl19_0199-2.jpg)
Photo by: Jeff Miller
Tanvi Thakkar (left), earning a Ph.D. in communication sciences and disorders, receives a congratulatory hug from Ruth Litovsky, professor in communication sciences and disorders.![Photo of Steve Miller receiving his honorary degree.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/Commence_Kohl19_0199-1.jpg)
Photo by: Jeff Miller
Steve Miller, lead guitarist and vocalist of the Steve Miller Band, receives his honorary degree from Chancellor Rebecca Blank.![Photo of Thomas Brock being hooded for his honorary degree.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/Commence_Kohl19_0128-1.jpg)
Photo by: Jeff Miller
Brock receives an honorary doctorate for his accomplishments in science and conservation.![Photo of a mortarboard reading,](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/Commence_Kohl19_0108.jpg)
Photo by: Jeff Miller
The ceremony marked the 150th anniversary of women earning the first bachelor's degrees at UW.![Photo of J.J. Watt speaking at podium.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2019/05/190510-StudentAthGradReception-1167-Watt.jpg)
David Stluka/Wisconsin Athletics
Saturday's keynote speaker, J.J. Watt, surprised graduating student athletes by dropping in on a Friday reception in their honor.Tags: commencement, student life