Missouri State University will confer 1,476 degrees to students at its 2016 fall commencement.

Ceremonies will be held at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at JQH Arena.

Students graduating from the colleges of Business and Education will participate in the first ceremony. Dr. Michael T. Nietzel, former MSU president and current senior policy adviser to Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, will receive the Governmental Excellence Award and speak at this ceremony.

Students graduating from the colleges of Arts and Letters, Health and Human Services, Humanities and Public Affairs and Natural and Applied Sciences, as well as students from the William H. Darr School of Agriculture and global studies majors will participate in the second ceremony. President Clifton M. Smart III is the featured speaker.

The ceremonies will be streamed live on YouTube. The Missouri State commencement hub features ceremony details for graduates, guests, and faculty and staff. You can also follow what is happening live with #BearGrads and share your story using the social media kit.

About the graduates

A total of 1,075 bachelor’s degrees, 400 master’s degrees and one specialist degree will be conferred. Beyond the standard expectations, 37 students will be recognized for their work with a more rigorous curriculum in Missouri State’s Honors College. Scholastic honors will be given to 31 students who will graduate summa cum laude (with grade point averages of 3.9-4.0 on a 4.0 scale), 54 who will graduate magna cum laude (with GPAs of 3.75-3.89) and 135 who will graduate cum laude (with GPAs of 3.5-3.74).

For more information, contact Debbie Letterman, assistant director of event and meeting services, at 417-836-6206.