Class of 2012 Commencement; Oregon Digital

UO History 101: Commencement

From the first commencement ceremony to celebrate the university’s five graduates to the modern graduation ceremonies with thousands of graduates in attendance, commencement is a time to celebrate the hard work and dedication of UO students.

The university’s first commencement ceremony took place on June 14, 1878 at University Hall. It was a small ceremony, with only 600 people in the audience. 

As the years went on, the audience and graduating class grew — even from 1878 to 1898, where the graduating class expanded from 5 to 30.

Commencement was designed as a celebration with student speeches and an address by the Board of Regents president. By the 1880s, the event was drawn out to a week full of festivities with speeches, banquets, services, and celebrations. 

The week of celebrations would start with a morning church service on Sunday, with leaders from all around Oregon in attendance. The rest of the week included concerts through the School of Music and Dance, intramural sports competitions, and the annual Class Day. 

 

For the first 19 years of graduation, the graduating class was honored by the planting of a new tree on campus. This tradition began the custom of senior class gifts presented to the university.

In current years, the commencement ceremony has looked quite different. Due to the pandemic, the classes of 2020 and 2021 celebrated their graduation virtually. This summer, the University of Oregon will host its first in-person graduation ceremony since 2019 with members from the classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022 in attendance. 

-By Peyton Hall, UO Alumni Association Student Associate