The University of Rochester will mark the academic achievements of its newest candidates for bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees at the 161st commencement ceremonies on May 13 to 15.

Later ceremonies will be held in June for candidates receiving graduate degrees from the Simon School of Business on June 12, and for candidates receiving certificates from the Eastman Institute for Oral Health on June 24.

The Eastman Quadrangle outdoor ceremony for the College of Arts, Sciences and Engineering on the River Campus will be held at 9 a.m. Sunday, May 15, where Ursula M. Burns, chairman and CEO of Xerox Corporation, will deliver the College commencement address and receive the George Eastman Medal for outstanding achievement and dedicated service.

University President Joel Seligman will preside at all of the commencement ceremonies. A total of 3,126 bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees will be conferred. (More information is available at the 2011 Commencement website.)

2011 Honorees and Award Winners

College of Arts, Sciences and Engineering Ceremony
9 a.m. Sunday, May 15, Eastman Quadrangle, River Campus

The College ceremony also will include the announcement of the recipients of the Singer Family Prize for Excellence in Secondary School Teaching, which was established by Paul Singer, a 1966 alumnus of the College. Seniors were invited to nominate high school teachers who have had a significant influence on their lives.

This year's winners are: Todd Benz, technology teacher, Pittsford Mendon High School, Pittsford, N.Y., nominated by Kelly Beamish; Timothy Cullen, Advanced Placement U.S. history and economics teacher, and tennis coach, Leonia High School, Leonia, N.J., nominated by Chae-Ri Han; Leya Mathew Joykutty, Advanced Placement and honors biology teacher, American Heritage School, Plantation, Fla., nominated by Sofia Melgarejo; and Susan Berry Peters, mathematics teacher, Longmeadow High School, Longmeadow, Mass., nominated by Benjamin R. Freedman.

Diploma ceremonies hosted by the College academic departments will follow the Eastman Quadrangle ceremony.

Eastman School of Music Ceremony
11:15 a.m. Sunday, May 15, Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre

Doctoral Degree Ceremony (for all University divisions)
9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 14, Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre

The doctoral ceremony also will include the presentation of the University Dean's Award for Meritorious Service in Ph.D. Defenses to four faculty members who have demonstrated their commitment to graduate education by serving as chairs of oral examination committees. They are: William A. Bernhard, professor of biochemistry and biophysics; Rosemary Kegl, associate professor of English; Jean Elisabeth Pedersen, associate professor of history, Humanities Department, Eastman School of Music; and Michael Scott, professor of computer science.

School of Medicine and Dentistry (for M.D. candidates)
4 p.m. Friday, May 13, Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre

School of Nursing
1 p.m. Friday, May 13, Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre

School of Medicine and Dentistry (for master's degree candidates)
12:15 p.m., May 14, Kilbourn Hall, Eastman School of Music

Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development
2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 14, Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre

To celebrate the accomplishments of Warner graduates, the ceremony will include the reading of biographies for those receiving master's and doctoral degrees in place of a commencement speaker.

William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration
10 a.m. Sunday, June 12, Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre

Eastman Institute for Oral Health Convocation
5:30 p.m. Friday, June 24, Class of '62 Auditorium/Flaum Atrium