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News Release

UCCS Celebrates Fall Class Of 2025 - 12/19/25

UCCS conferred more than 1,000 degrees to students from the Class of 2025 on Friday, December 19 during the Fall 2025 Commencement ceremonies at the Broadmoor World Arena.

Graduates this semester earned 21 doctoral degrees, 245 master’s degrees, 56 associate degrees and 773 bachelor’s degrees.

Commencement Marshal Joel Tonyan, Kraemer Family Library Director of User Experience & Associate Professor; Jennifer Sobanet, Chancellor of UCCS; Todd Saliman, President of the University of Colorado system; and the 2025 Distinguished Alumnus Speaker, Tom Arata, ’87, Air Force veteran, community pillar and retired business leader, addressed graduates during the day’s ceremonies.

“Life has many passages, the transitions from one period to another,” said Tonyan. “Cultures, the world over, mark these transitions with ceremonies steeped in tradition. Commencement is an important ritual for the human spirit, signifying great accomplishment and moving on to a world of possibilities. Today is a momentous day; we honor these graduates’ past achievements and celebrate their bright futures. It is my great pleasure to present them to you, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs’ Class of 2025.”

Chancellor Sobanet then took the stage.

“Commencement is a joyous time where we reflect on how far you’ve come and the purpose you carry forward,” Chancellor Sobanet shared in her address. “As UCCS celebrates 60 years of impact in Southern Colorado, this moment invites us to honor both our legacy and our future. The world’s challenges are real, but so is our capacity to meet them. At UCCS we are powered by people who lead with care and courage, grounded in research and creative works, and deeply connected to Colorado and its communities. We serve generously, invest our talents in our communities, and engage in civil discourse that fuels new ideas and meaningful solutions. By honoring our differences and drawing strength from what unites us, we carry the Mountain Lion spirit into the next chapter—advancing our community, our nation, and our world.”

In his address, President Saliman encouraged graduates to take consider what they’ve learned over their college journey, to remain curious and to think critically.

“Congratulations, graduates – you did it!” said President Saliman. “You worked hard to reach this moment, and here you are! You should be proud of yourselves. All of us in the CU community are incredibly proud of you, and we’re excited to celebrate you today and all that you’ve accomplished. In earning your degree, you’ve proven – to yourselves and to others – that you can achieve great things. And this is just the beginning. Whichever path you take from here, I know – and you should too – that you have what it takes to succeed.”

“Keep learning, remain curious and continue to listen and think critically about what you hear and how you respond,” he continued. “As you do these things, you’ll serve as powerful models for others. You’ll show them the value of doing the work to dig deeper into an issue, to really hear someone else’s perspective and to pause for self-reflection. It’s not magic. It’s practice. Which doesn’t mean that it’s easy. But you’re up to the challenge. You’ve proven that you can do hard things. And quite simply, we need your help. Just as anger and hate can be contagious, so too are the skills you’ve honed at CU. What you have learned can light the way forward for all of us. You are graduating with the blessing of an education. You are also graduating with a responsibility. One that we all share. As you move forward, know that you have an amazing CU community behind you and amazing experiences ahead of you.”

The ceremony included the recognition of 15 Silver Graduates, members of the Class of 2000 who celebrated 25 years since their own UCCS graduation.

Also celebrated were the students who received their Associate of General Studies degree after the University of Colorado Board of Regents approved the retroactive degree in April 2023. The degree is for those students who started at UCCS and earned at least 70 credits over the last 10 years but didn’t complete their degree. It provides a path for students to receive a credential for work they have completed and improves these students’ outcomes for employment.

To close the ceremonies, Regent Montera and Regent Vandriel delivered the traditional Norlin Charge to graduates. The charge dates back to CU Boulder president George Norlin’s delivery of the June 1935 Commencement ceremony. The words of the Norlin Charge are now read to the graduating class each year at each of the four CU campuses, as a reminder that graduates will carry their experiences at the university with them forever.

“Commencement does not mean, as many wrongly think, the breaking of ties and the beginning of life apart,” reads the charge. “Rather, it marks your initiation in the fullest sense into the fellowship of the university, as bearers of her torch, as centers of her influence, as promoters of her spirit.”

“The university consists of all who come into and go forth from her halls, who are touched by her influence and who carry on her spirit. Wherever you go, the university goes with you. Wherever you are at work, there is the university at work.”

UCCS Celebrates Fall Class Of 2025 - 12/19/25

UCCS conferred more than 1,000 degrees to students from the Class of 2025 on Friday, December 19 during the Fall 2025 Commencement ceremonies at the Broadmoor World Arena.

Graduates this semester earned 21 doctoral degrees, 245 master’s degrees, 56 associate degrees and 773 bachelor’s degrees.

Commencement Marshal Joel Tonyan, Kraemer Family Library Director of User Experience & Associate Professor; Jennifer Sobanet, Chancellor of UCCS; Todd Saliman, President of the University of Colorado system; and the 2025 Distinguished Alumnus Speaker, Tom Arata, ’87, Air Force veteran, community pillar and retired business leader, addressed graduates during the day’s ceremonies.

“Life has many passages, the transitions from one period to another,” said Tonyan. “Cultures, the world over, mark these transitions with ceremonies steeped in tradition. Commencement is an important ritual for the human spirit, signifying great accomplishment and moving on to a world of possibilities. Today is a momentous day; we honor these graduates’ past achievements and celebrate their bright futures. It is my great pleasure to present them to you, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs’ Class of 2025.”

Chancellor Sobanet then took the stage.

“Commencement is a joyous time where we reflect on how far you’ve come and the purpose you carry forward,” Chancellor Sobanet shared in her address. “As UCCS celebrates 60 years of impact in Southern Colorado, this moment invites us to honor both our legacy and our future. The world’s challenges are real, but so is our capacity to meet them. At UCCS we are powered by people who lead with care and courage, grounded in research and creative works, and deeply connected to Colorado and its communities. We serve generously, invest our talents in our communities, and engage in civil discourse that fuels new ideas and meaningful solutions. By honoring our differences and drawing strength from what unites us, we carry the Mountain Lion spirit into the next chapter—advancing our community, our nation, and our world.”

In his address, President Saliman encouraged graduates to take consider what they’ve learned over their college journey, to remain curious and to think critically.

“Congratulations, graduates – you did it!” said President Saliman. “You worked hard to reach this moment, and here you are! You should be proud of yourselves. All of us in the CU community are incredibly proud of you, and we’re excited to celebrate you today and all that you’ve accomplished. In earning your degree, you’ve proven – to yourselves and to others – that you can achieve great things. And this is just the beginning. Whichever path you take from here, I know – and you should too – that you have what it takes to succeed.”

“Keep learning, remain curious and continue to listen and think critically about what you hear and how you respond,” he continued. “As you do these things, you’ll serve as powerful models for others. You’ll show them the value of doing the work to dig deeper into an issue, to really hear someone else’s perspective and to pause for self-reflection. It’s not magic. It’s practice. Which doesn’t mean that it’s easy. But you’re up to the challenge. You’ve proven that you can do hard things. And quite simply, we need your help. Just as anger and hate can be contagious, so too are the skills you’ve honed at CU. What you have learned can light the way forward for all of us. You are graduating with the blessing of an education. You are also graduating with a responsibility. One that we all share. As you move forward, know that you have an amazing CU community behind you and amazing experiences ahead of you.”

The ceremony included the recognition of 15 Silver Graduates, members of the Class of 2000 who celebrated 25 years since their own UCCS graduation.

Also celebrated were the students who received their Associate of General Studies degree after the University of Colorado Board of Regents approved the retroactive degree in April 2023. The degree is for those students who started at UCCS and earned at least 70 credits over the last 10 years but didn’t complete their degree. It provides a path for students to receive a credential for work they have completed and improves these students’ outcomes for employment.

To close the ceremonies, Regent Montera and Regent Vandriel delivered the traditional Norlin Charge to graduates. The charge dates back to CU Boulder president George Norlin’s delivery of the June 1935 Commencement ceremony. The words of the Norlin Charge are now read to the graduating class each year at each of the four CU campuses, as a reminder that graduates will carry their experiences at the university with them forever.

“Commencement does not mean, as many wrongly think, the breaking of ties and the beginning of life apart,” reads the charge. “Rather, it marks your initiation in the fullest sense into the fellowship of the university, as bearers of her torch, as centers of her influence, as promoters of her spirit.”

“The university consists of all who come into and go forth from her halls, who are touched by her influence and who carry on her spirit. Wherever you go, the university goes with you. Wherever you are at work, there is the university at work.”