UW-Parkside Spring 2025 Commencement Set for May 17

Kenosha, Wis.- The University of Wisconsin-Parkside will hold its Spring 2025 Commencement on Saturday, May 17, in the De Simone Arena in the Sports and Activity Center. The two ceremonies will honor more than 550 graduates and will both be followed by a reception in the Petretti Fieldhouse.

The first ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. with doors opening at 8 a.m. and will include graduates from the College of Business Economics and Computing and the College of Arts and Humanities. The second ceremony will include graduates from the College of Natural and Health Sciences and the College of Social Sciences and Professional Studies and will begin at 1 p.m., with the doors opening at 12 p.m.

This semester’s commencement speaker will be Frank Di Meglio, Managing Partner at Northwestern Mutual. Entrepreneurship has always been a part of Di Meglio’s life, beginning as he learned from his father working in the family business. He started his career as an intern at Northwestern Mutual in 2007 in New Jersey. It’s Di Meglio’s mission to help others elevate their skills and grow thriving businesses of their own.

Amy Traynor is the Director of Learning Services at CESA 10 and a Universities of Wisconsin Regent. Traynor has more than two decades of experience in public education. She currently serves as a WI Commissioner for the Education Commissions of the States, President of the WI Teacher of the Year Network, and Teacher Lead for Wisconsin’s Every Teacher a Leader Summit. Traynor is a National Board-Certified Teacher of Mathematics, the 2013 WI Middle School Teacher of the Year, and a 2015 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching Finalist.

In addition, UW-Parkside will recognize three Outstanding Graduate Award winners and one Chancellor’s Award Recipient during the ceremonies. The honorees are:

• (Chancellor’s Award Recipient) Grant Pitts | Sociology | Kenosha, WI
• Andrew Conrad | Sport Management | Smithville, Missouri
• Janet Jurado | Theatre Arts and Communication | Kenosha, WI
• Malika Mian | Business Management | Mount Pleasant, WI

Chancellor’s Award Recipient Grant Pitts will address his fellow graduates. Pitts is a passionate and driven Sociology major whose academic and civic engagement distinguishes him as a truly outstanding student. Known for his intellectual curiosity and critical thinking, Grant consistently demonstrates a deep understanding of social structures and a desire to be a force for positive change. He has contributed to multiple faculty-led research projects, including presenting at an international conference and leading a team on a yearlong community-based study.

Beyond the classroom, Grant is a leader in every sense, serving as President of Parkside Student Government, a civic engagement fellow, and holding several roles in both campus and community organizations. He balances these leadership responsibilities with full-time work and a full academic load, reflecting his exceptional work ethic and time management.

For more details about UW-Parkside’s Spring 2025 Commencement, click here.

Since its founding in 1968, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside has been a trusted partner for the region’s higher educational needs, empowering students to thrive, advancing applied knowledge, and developing talent for the future. The university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as certificates and pre-professional programs, designed to foster personal and professional growth through real-world and impactful learning experiences. Located in the dynamic Chicago-Milwaukee corridor, UW-Parkside offers unmatched access to world-class internships, professional networks, and endless career-building opportunities, placing students at the center of it all.

Media contact:

Derek Fye
Communications Manager
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Fye@uwp.edu | (262) 771-5419