May 13, 2014
The Catholic University of America will confer more than 1,550 degrees during its 125th Annual Commencement Ceremony, which will be held outdoors at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 17, on the east steps of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 400 Michigan Ave., N.E.The following week, at 11 a.m. on Friday, May, 23, approximately 200 degrees will be distributed to students graduating from CUA's Columbus School of Law in the Basilica.Philip Rivers, Pro Bowl quarterback for the San Diego Chargers, will deliver the Commencement address to the Class of 2014 on May 17 and receive an honorary degree. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, archbishop of Manila, and Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Community of Sant'Egidio, will also receive honorary degrees during Commencement exercises.This year's law school commencement speaker will be Jane Golden Belford, who served for 13 years as the chancellor of the Archdiocese of Washington.Outstanding students will be lauded during the honors convocation at 1 p.m. on Friday, May 16, at the Basilica. The same day, students and their families will also attend the 4 p.m. Baccalaureate Mass in the Basilica, Great Upper Church. Cardinal Tagle will be the principal celebrant and homilist. For other commencement details, visit commencement.cua.edu. For information about other commencement venues in the event that inclement weather precludes an outdoor ceremony, visit commencement.cua.edu/inclement-weather.cfm.MEDIA: For more information or to make arrangements to cover the University's main Commencement ceremony, contact Katie Lee or Mary McCarthy Hines in the Office of Public Affairs at 202-319-5600 or cua-public-affairs@cua.edu.To cover the law school's ceremony, contact Tom Haederle at 202-319-5438 or haederle@cua.edu.