Special Edition – Fall 2025 Commencement

December 10, 2025

Categories: Niner Insider

Editor’s Note: Fall Commencement is here! More than 3,100 degrees will be conferred during commencement ceremonies Friday and Saturday, Dec. 12-13. Meet some of these remarkable graduates in this special commencement issue.

graduate spotlights

UNC Charlotte graduate wearing green regalia and cords, standing outside on campus with a smile. — **Belk College of Business:** The youngest December graduate, Joy Kamel, earns two degrees with four majors.

UNC Charlotte graduate in cap and gown holding a decorated graduation cap featuring “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” — **Cato College of Education:** From day one, Lindsay Blalock has been a natural in the classroom.

Portrait of a UNC Charlotte student wearing glasses and a blazer, standing in a dimly lit indoor space. — **College of Arts + Architecture:** Combat veteran turned theatre producer Rory Sheriff realizes educational dreams.

UNC Charlotte student in a suit speaks on stage with a microphone during a presentation with a colorful screen in the background. — **College of Computing and Informatics:** Rishi Misra leaves Charlotte with a master’s degree and confidence to change the world.

UNC Charlotte alumna wearing scrubs and a Niners shirt sits smiling outside near a purple building. — **College of Health and Human Services:** Registered nurse Nataysha Addison reaches her bachelor’s degree goal.

Smiling UNC Charlotte graduate sits on a campus bench in green regalia, under drooping tree branches. — **College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences:** Madison Black built community everywhere she went at Charlotte.

UNC Charlotte student wearing gloves conducts research in a science lab using a pipette and test tubes. — **Klein College of Science:** Hands-on experience empowers Erica Flores to make an impact in community-based health care.

UNC Charlotte student in a green campus polo poses casually outdoors by a campus sign. — **William States Lee College of Engineering:** Nick Dietterich graduates real-world ready.

Greetings from the Graduate Speakers

Congratulations to Fall Commencement student speakers Jamari Sharp, Morgan Alexander and Yash Tadimalla. Get to know the speakers as they share what speaking at commencement means to them.

Fall commencement bell ringers Karunya Karthikeyan, Cassietta “Cassie” Broadhead and Anum Hafiz

Bell Ringers Reflect on Charlotte Journeys

Karunya Karthikeyan, Cassietta “Cassie” Broadhead and Anum Hafiz are Fall Commencement bell ringers. Read more about these distinguished Niners selected for this long-standing tradition.

University Marshals for fall commencement Jeanne-Marie “Ree” Linker, Vaughn Schmutz and Terry Xu

University marshals are distinguished faculty members selected to represent their colleagues at ceremonial functions, including commencement. They symbolize faculty excellence in teaching, scholarship and service to campus and community. This year’s honorees — Jeanne-Marie “Ree” Linker, Vaughn Schmutz and Terry Xu — embody the values of leadership, mentorship and academic distinction.

UNC Charlotte graduate hold hand up in the shape of a pickax wearing commencement regalia

commencement reminders

PaTS will implement temporary service changes to accommodate parking and transportation needs for Fall Commencement.
Graduating students are required to have a UNC Charlotte student ID or government-issued ID to enter the graduate area. If you do not have a valid UNC Charlotte ID card, follow the instructions to download a mobile ID.
A clear bag policy will be enforced at Halton Arena; neither umbrellas, balloons, noisemakers, posters, banners or flags are allowed in this facility.