All about UD’s 159th Commencement

7 p.m., May 31, 2008--Interesting facts about UD's 159th commencement, held Saturday, May 31, in Delaware Stadium include:

The estimated number of degrees conferred totals 5,305, including:

  • 214 doctoral degrees;
  • 767 master's degrees;
  • 4,077 bachelor's degrees; and
  • 247 associate's degrees.

Note: Final figures are determined when spring grades are fully recorded and the deans review grades for all candidates.

Commencement facts

Opening the ceremony was the alumni procession, which included representatives from the Classes of the 1940s through 2007, representing all segments of alumni living in 81 countries throughout the world. With the Class of 2008, the number of living UD alumni is in excess of 135,000.

Leading the alumni procession were this year's recipients of the UD Alumni Association's Warner and Taylor awards, which recognize the outstanding senior woman and man. These graduating seniors are Zachary Bachrach Schafer, of Unionville, Pa., and Carol Anne Cipriani, of Philadelphia.

Members of the Class of 2008 come from 36 states, the District of Columbia and 15 foreign countries.

Ten of our graduating students celebrated their birthdays on Saturday. There are 107 different majors represented in the class. The Class of 2008 includes 415 children of UD alumni, of whom 120 are “Double Dels,” because both parents are UD graduates.

This year's oldest graduating senior is Donald A. Williams, 69, of Wilmington, Del., who earned a bachelor's degree in history.

The University of Delaware is celebrating its 265th year of existence. The first class of 1743 included three signers of the Declaration of Independence among its 10 students.