The University of Virginia is about to bid thousands of graduates farewell. Final exercises are this weekend, and the hundreds involved with putting on the ceremonies are nothing compared to the crowds expected to descend on grounds to honor the class of 2012.
UVA is bracing for 30,000 to 35,000 people to descend on the university this weekend for the 183rd final exercises. That will be friends and family of about 6,000 graduates walking the lawn. There will be 57 separate ceremonies held for 11 different schools and programs.
Looking back on when this class was admitted, the students' average SAT score was 1322. As well as that, 88 percent of them came from the top 10 percent of their class, and 14 percent of them are children of alumni.
Alumnus Katie Couric will address the graduates at final exercises Sunday, and former Cavalier basketball star Val Ackerman will speak at Saturday's valedictorian ceremony.
Here some other fun facts from UVA about graduation weekend:
- About 140 facility management employees, nearly 100 UVA police officers, and 230 ushers will be on the lawn for final exercises.
- There will be 36,000 chairs total set up all over the university for final exercises and diploma ceremonies. There will be 16 stages and seven tents set up around grounds as well.
- Crews sow 2,000 pounds of grass seed on the lawn to prepare for this event. That starts in early spring.
Final exercises will last about two hours, plus another hour for the procession. If you can't get to grounds but want to watch the events take place,
click here for a live web stream of the ceremony.
