The University of Minnesota Crookston will hold its 59th commencement ceremony on May 2 at Lysaker Gymnasium, with events beginning at 11 a.m. The university announced on Apr. 24 that the celebration will include a formal procession, remarks from university leaders, and performances by campus musical groups.
The commencement is an important milestone for students and their families as it marks the completion of academic programs and entry into new professional chapters. The event also connects graduates to the broader UMN Crookston alumni community.
Faculty, degree candidates, and platform guests will process from Sargeant Student Center to Lysaker Gymnasium led by mace bearer Sharon Stewart, Ph.D., associate professor in the Math, Science, and Technology Department. Soo-Yin Lim-Thompson, Ph.D., professor in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education Department will serve as faculty marshal. University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham is scheduled to offer remarks during the ceremony. Regent Sam Heins will assist with conferring degrees. Jess Bengtson (class of 2010), president of the UMN Crookston Alumni Association Board, will welcome new graduates to the alumni association.
Musical selections are planned under TJ Chapman’s direction for the Community Band and George French’s direction for the campus vocal ensemble. Student speakers Louis Siegel and Codey Wolff are set to address their classmates before passing leadership responsibilities to incoming Crookston Student Association President Evelyn Dupont.
This year marks UMN Crookston’s 118th graduation since its founding in 1906 as an agricultural high school known as Northwest School of Agriculture (NWSA). After transitioning through several educational phases—including a technical institute—the campus began offering baccalaureate degrees in the early 1990s.
The Agriculture and Natural Resources Department plays a significant role within UMN Crookston by promoting social well-being through hands-on experiences that allow students to make positive impacts on agriculture and natural resources according to its official website. The department operates primarily out of the University Teaching and Outreach Center according to its official website and functions as part of UMN Crookston according to its official website. Its focus includes safeguarding food supplies while promoting environmental health and agricultural growth by integrating sustainable practices with new technologies according to its official website. Additional initiatives include a Horse Donation Program supporting Equine Science according to its official website as well as outreach activities like Agriculture and Natural Resources Activities Day for area high school students according to its official website.
For more information about commencement activities or academic offerings at UMN Crookston—including details about over seventy-five programs—visit crk.umn.edu.
