UMD Celebrates 2019 Winter Graduates, Bestows Honorary Degree

The University of Maryland hosted its 2019 winter commencement ceremony on Dec. 17, 2019, at the XFINITY Center, celebrating graduates from August and December who earned an estimated 2,503 bachelor's degrees, 1,564 master's degrees and 616 doctoral degrees from programs across the university.

The commencement address was delivered by General James R. Clapper ‘63, the fourth director of national intelligence, leading the U.S. intelligence community and serving as the principal intelligence advisor to President Obama. He encouraged students to be kind and humble, use common sense, and be a champion of the truth. Student speaker Bita Riazi ‘19, who graduated with a B.A. in Communication, spoke to graduates about overcoming fear to succeed.

In addition, Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. ’64, the longest serving senate president in U.S. history, received an honorary doctorate of public service for his decades of service to the State of Maryland, commitment to public education and dedication to the public good.

“Senator Miller has encouraged us to think of our school as a great university and with his leadership we have become just that. Without question our university would not be where it is today without Maryland's great President Mike Miller,” said Board of Regents member Gary L. Attman during the ceremony.

Learn more about President Miller’s service and accomplishments: