In a press release last week, the university announced its intention to move commencement from the Dee Events Center outdoors to Stewart Stadium. The individual colleges will hold individual convocation ceremonies where graduates walk across the stage while their names are read beginning at 9 a.m. April 25 and concluding April 26. A general commencement ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. April 25.

The release further detailed the general commencement ceremony and a new addition for commencement — a drone show.

“The universitywide event will feature a drone show, lighting up the sky above the football stadium, and guest speaker Diane Morais, who recently retired after a distinguished career in financial services,” the release said. “Morais served as former president of Ally Bank, overseeing consumer and commercial banking. She managed 3,500 employees, $50 billion in assets, $2 billion in annual revenue, and more than $144 billion in deposits.”

WSU News Coordinator Rachel Badali told the Standard-Examiner on Tuesday that the change of venue comes down to an opportunity to use one of the university’s best aesthetic assets — its location along the Wasatch Front.

“Stewart Stadium is known for being so uniquely beautiful,” she said. “It provides a gorgeous mountain backdrop with plenty of seating, so it’s the perfect place for our graduates and their families to celebrate. Also, holding commencement outside means we get to bring back the much-anticipated drone show, which was a big hit during homecoming last year.”

She said that, historically, commencement at Weber State has largely been an indoor affair — except for when world events dictated otherwise.

“The university has held commencement indoors at the Dee Events Center for decades,” she said. “During the pandemic, commencement was held outdoors at the stadium, and we got such great feedback about the ambiance of being outside.”

Badali said taking commencement, which will celebrate more than 3,600 graduates, outdoors brings a lot to the ceremony.

“Graduation is all about the students and their loved ones and giving them a memorable experience,” she said. “Being outside really adds to the celebratory atmosphere. The sunset, the natural backdrop, the drone show — it all makes for a really special night.”

She added plans are to make the outdoor spring commencement a tradition for the future.

If inclement weather should threaten proceedings, the ceremonies will be moved indoors to the Dee Events Center.

“Nothing compares to celebrating the hard work and accomplishments of our students,” WSU President Brad Mortensen said in the release. “They’ve earned this moment to shine. And I always look forward to those conversations when students come back and tell me about the positive impacts they’re making because of what they learned at Weber State.”

For more information on the commencement schedule and for any announcements regarding adverse weather conditions, visit https://www.weber.edu/graduation/commencement.html.