More than 1,300 students to graduate during commencements of three Catholic colleges in central and southern Indiana in May

Criterion staff report

Students, families, friends and educators will join in the celebration as the three Catholic colleges in the archdiocese hold their graduation ceremonies in May.

Here is a glimpse of each ceremony.

Marian University

Marian University in Indianapolis will award 1,000 degrees in two commencement ceremonies on the weekend of May 8-9.

During the commencement weekend, 636 students will earn bachelor’s degrees, 185 students will receive master’s degrees, 30 students will earn doctoral degrees as nurse practitioners, and 149 future doctors will graduate from the Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Undergraduates will receive their degrees during a 10 a.m. ceremony on May 8 at the university’s

St. Vincent Field. The commencement address at the undergraduate ceremony will be shared by Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush.

Graduate students and medical students will receive their degrees on May 9 during a 10 a.m. ceremony at the university’s St. Vincent Field. The commencement speaker at this ceremony will be Dr. Timothy Putnam.

The Baccalaureate Mass will be on May 7 at 5:30 p.m. in the university’s arena/convocation center.

Each commencement ceremony will be livestreamed and can be viewed online at marian.edu/livestream.

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in St. Mary-of-the-Woods will celebrate its commencement on May 8 when 281 graduates earn their degrees.

There will be two commencement ceremonies—one for on-campus students receiving their bachelor’s degrees while the other will be for graduates of Woods Online and master’s degree programs.

Both ceremonies will be in the Hamilton Arena of the Jeanne Knoerle Sports and Recreation Center. The commencement speakers for both ceremonies are students who were selected by a committee of faculty and staff from submitted speeches.

The commencement ceremony for on-campus students who are graduating will begin at 10 a.m. The speaker will be Kathryn Bernice Kraft, who is graduating with a bachelor of science degree.

The commencement ceremony for graduates of Woods Online and master’s degree programs will begin at 4 p.m. The speaker will be Dylan Thomas, who is graduating with a master’s degree in leadership.

As part of its commencement day, the college will also have a Baccalaureate Mass at 1 p.m.

The commencement ceremonies can be livestreamed at www.smwc.edu/commencement.

Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology

Forty-six students will earn master’s degrees when Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in St. Meinrad holds its graduation ceremony on May 8.

The ceremony will be at 11:15 a.m. Central Time in St. Bede Theater on the Saint Meinrad campus.

The commencement address will be delivered by Bishop William F. Medley, bishop of the Diocese of Owensboro, Ky.

Mass for the graduates and their guests will be at 9 a.m. Central Time in the Archabbey Church of Our Lady of Einsiedeln.

While the graduation and the Mass are limited to graduates and their guests, both celebrations will be livestreamed at www.saintmeinrad.org/live. †