A moment that's months in the making – behind the scenes at Commencement
Volunteers from the Office of the Registrar check in students ahead of Commencement. About 90 volunteer event staff helped the event run smoothly by hanging decorations, running errands, directing guests and more.
A grand fireworks display capped off the biggest night of the year at the University of Arizona on May 16, as 6,000 graduates and 39,000 guests celebrated the Class of 2025 at the university's 161st Commencement. The spectacle was the culmination of months of planning and coordination involving dozens of offices and hundreds of collaborators across campus.
The setup at Arizona Stadium for Commencement included 50,000 square feet of flooring and 6,000 chairs on the field for students.
Logan Burtch-Buus/University Communications
The scale of the event is massive, with more than 30 units involved – from Parking and Transportation Services to Facilities Management to the University of Arizona Police Department. The effort was led by Claudia Dávila, director of Commencement and ceremonies in the Office of Presidential Events and University Ceremonies.
Claudia Dávila, Director of Commencement and Ceremonies, Office of Presidential Events and University Ceremonies
"We're involved across campus, working together to support shared goals," Dávila said. "Everyone has a piece in making this celebration happen."
Planning for Commencement began in July, with organizers coordinating logistics and reviewing lessons and feedback from the previous ceremony. Once the spring semester began, the work became more hands-on. Two weeks ahead of the ceremony, the team moved on-site to oversee the transformation of Arizona Stadium.
"We had 50,000 square feet of flooring that came in and covered the entire field," said Julia Fritz, Commencement and ceremonies coordinator. "We had 6,000 chairs that we put down on the floor for students. More than 20 trucks came through to bring in speakers and other components of our massive stage. We basically built an event space from scratch in just a few days."
While Dávila and Fritz oversaw stadium setup, Misha Harrison, executive director of experience in PEUC, focused on every detail of the on-stage presentation.
Misha Harrison, Executive Director for Experience, Office of Presidential Events and University Ceremonies
"I would be considered a producer of the show," Harrison said. "We have a detailed plan for what appears on each screen at every moment – camera angles, timing and visuals are all choreographed."
In the months leading up to Commencement, Harrison helped oversee the selection of speakers and performers that would take part in the ceremony and worked with School of Theatre, Film and Television faculty members Jamie Reed and Christie Kerr to prepare the College of Fine Arts students performing the voice-overs, national anthem and the university's alma mater. Diana Leonard, senior lecturer in the Department of Communication, helped coach the ceremony's student presenters. The university's show team also included Dale Schoonover, marketing specialist with PEUC, as the creative force behind the visuals; Joe Klug, director of donor events and experiences with the University of Arizona Foundation, who lent his expertise as a volunteer; and Fritz managing the 45-minute pre-show.
Harrison also worked closely with the team supporting Erik Weihenmayer, the first blind person to summit Mount Everest, who delivered the Commencement address.
Julia Fritz, Commencement and Ceremonies Coordinator, Office of Presidential Events and University Ceremonies
The whole team focused on making sure everyone could experience and enjoy the ceremony.
"Working with the Disability Resource Center, we had a truly accessible event this year – American Sign Language on the big screens, stage ramps, captions everywhere," Harrison said. "It took a lot of learning and adjusting, but I'm proud we got there."
The big day
On the day of Commencement, staff began arriving as early as 7:30 a.m., 12 hours before the start of the ceremony. Some helped set up for events throughout the day, including the President's Dinner in the Arizona Sands Club and the faculty reception in the stadium's Bear Down Kitchen, while others put up signage and A-frames to manage student and guest traffic in and around the venue.
About 50,000 square feet of flooring, 6,000 chairs, lighting, speakers and more set the stage for the massive celebration honoring the accomplishments of the Class of 2025.
Organizers also trained 90 volunteer event staff members who helped hang decorations, run errands, check in students and greet and direct guests.
Fritz said the volunteers' work is crucial but often unseen.
"They're essential, helping with everything from scanning students to wrangling talent," Fritz said. "Without them, Commencement wouldn't run as smoothly."
Once the pre-show began, Fritz, Harrison and Dávila turned their focus to making real-time adjustments as needed throughout the ceremony.
"During Commencement I was handling last-minute fixes – graphics issues, name spellings or anything unexpected," Harrison said. "It's a bit of firefighting, but they're usually minor fires."
Dávila said her team is always ready to pivot as needed.
"We plan several months out, but we always have contingencies," Dávila said. "No matter what adjustments we have to make, the priority is getting students and guests in and out safely and giving them a wonderful celebration."
Why the work matters
The May 16 ceremony marked the 81st Commencement for Dávila, who worked on her first in 1996. That total includes years with separate ceremonies for graduate and undergraduate students, as well as 2021, when the university held 16 ceremonies over eight days to mitigate risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. She said Commencement has grown in size and scope over the decades, but the work has always been about creating an experience that feels personal and memorable for students and families.
"Whether you're 20 or 60, that moment matters," Dávila said. "We love what we do. We're happy to be behind the scenes, but we put a lot of heart into making this night unforgettable for every student."