December 3, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - For the first time, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) will stream its graduation ceremony live when it holds fall commencement exercises at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12 in Bartow Arena, 617 13th St. South.
"We wanted to provide an alternative for our students' friends and relatives who cannot attend the ceremony in person but still want to be part of this very special event," said UAB Provost Eli Capilouto. "We are excited that the technology will enable us to share the UAB commencement experience with a larger audience."
And, those attending the December commencement will be able to get an enhanced view of the ceremony with the help of four new 8-by-12-foot LED video screens mounted in the arena's center court. The screens were installed in October.
About half of the 2,141 students who completed their coursework in August and in December will take part in the Dec. 12 ceremony. The doors open at 12:30 p.m.
UAB senior Matt Farrar, [pronounced "Farrah"] 23, the son of Rick and Kim Farrar of Hoover, will deliver the commencement address. He will receive a bachelor's degree in business economics with minors in chemistry and German, and plans to work a year in Germany before attending law school.
Farrar has received Presidential Honors and is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society, Golden Key, Alpha Lambda Delta and National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Earlier this year, he and several other students founded the UAB Economics Club. He also has been a UAB Foreign Language Ambassador. In July, Farrar participated in a four-week, intensive German-language course at the Goethe Institute in Dresden, Germany.
UAB senior Michael Dees, 27, of Birmingham will perform the National Anthem and lead the Alma Mater during Saturday's ceremony. Dees will graduate with a degree in music technology.
About UAB
Known for its innovative and interdisciplinary approach to education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is an internationally renowned research university and academic medical center and the state of Alabama's largest employer. For more information, please visit www.uab.edu.