Nearly 40,000 people packed into Arizona Stadium on Friday night to watch more than 6,000 students become University of Arizona alumni.
Suresh Garimella, presiding over his first commencement ceremony since becoming the school’s president in October, conferred about 9,000 bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees.
The stands on the west side of Arizona Stadium were filled Friday night for the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona.
“Climbers understand that life is an ongoing, never-ending process of reaching out to the darkness when we don’t know what we’ll find,” Erik Weihenmayer, an adventurer known for becoming the first blind person to summit Mount Everest, said during his address to the graduates.
“Climbers are a rare group, and if I could see, I’d be looking at a lot of climbers out here,” Weihenmayer said. “These are people who continue to figure out a way to grow and evolve and explore and challenge themselves every day of their lives until the day they die.”
Two graduates celebrate in the smoke and spotlights during the closing of the University of Arizona’s graduation ceremony Friday night.
Graduates Raneem Wali, left, and Ali Al-Awadh use their cellphones to capture the fireworks show that closed graduation ceremonies at the University of Arizona.
Photos: 161st Commencement at the University of Arizona
Graduates Raneem Wali, left, and Ali Al-Awadh gets video of the fireworks display that closed out the night at the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025. Some 9,000 degrees were conferred at the ceremony with the crowd spilling into the upper bowl of Arizona Stadium.
Shadows from the graduates fall on the wall under the relatives and friends filling the west stands at Arizona Stadium at the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025.
A pair of grads celebrate in the smoke and spotlights of the post-ceremony show closing out the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025.
Charles Palmer, left, and Aimee Paredes move their tassels as the approximately 9,000 graduates complete the last step of the rites from the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025.
Braden Knop finds a spot of shade out of the sun still hitting much of the east seats on the turf of Arizona Stadium before the start of the ceremony at the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025.
Brianna Brown gets her regalia on shortly after clearing security outside Arizona Stadium at the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025.
Hannah Woodard finds another relative in the east seats of Arizona Stadium at the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025. Woodard said she had many relatives scattered through the stands and that she made it her mission to spot each and every one.
Kamron Murdock gets some help from the stands securing his mortar board as the grads start filling the Arizona Stadium field for the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025.
A grad sports a Barman decorated mortarboard at the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025.
An honors grad shows of her medal as her school is recognized during the conferral of degrees at the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025.
Students celebrate the official announcement that they’ve graduated at the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025.
A new grad works two phones as her school is conferred their degrees at the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025.
A Social and Behavioral Sciences grad wants all to know what school she just got her degree from at the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025.
Soon to graduate Joceline Mayer poses for selfies with her older sister Jackeline Mayer just before the start of the ceremony at the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025.
Aishani Badal gets some help from the stands through her mom, Soenita Nadal, getting her mortarboard tied down at the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025.
Gabrielle Sweger, left, gets a selfie with Lillian Ellis and Omar Al-Bazergan from the end zone turf of Arizona Stadium as the ceremony gets underway at the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025.
The lights and smoke draw the grads out to dance as things wrap up at the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025.
Jaydely Castaneda gets a hug from her mom Martina at the conclusion of the night’s pomp at the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025.
A grad watches the rites unfold from a seat on the field of Arizona Stadiumat the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025.
Commencement speaker Erik Weihenmayer addresses the crowd at the 161st commencement at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., May 16, 2025. Weihenmayer is the first blind person to summit Mount Everest and the only blind person to reach the peaks of the highest summits on every continent.
