Commencement Information for Graduating Students
Congratulations Class of 2023!
The Bren School is excited to celebrate your achievement at the Bren School Commencement Celebration on Friday, June 16 from 9am to 11am in the Bren Hall Michael J. Connell Memorial Courtyard, with a reception to follow on the lawn between Bren Hall and Harold Frank Hall. Graduates and guests are invited to attend in person. The program in the courtyard will also be livestreamed so family and friends who are not present in person can join us in celebrating.
As a graduating Bren School student, you are strongly encouraged to attend the Bren celebration! It is fun, friendly, and personalized to the Bren School community. There will be a keynote speaker, a student speaker, awards, music, and a recognition of every 2023 graduate.
There are no tickets or hard limits on the number of guests you may invite, but we recommend limiting your invitations to fewer than four to ensure all guests will have a seat in the courtyard. No registration is necessary to participate, but if you do NOT plan to attend (we will miss you) please send an e-mail to the Student Affairs Team at academics@bren.ucsb.edu.
Graduating Bren students may also participate in the formal commencement ceremony hosted by the Graduate Division, taking place at 1:00pm on Friday, June 16. Commencement Reservations for graduate students for this formal ceremony can be made via the Graduate Division’s website by Monday, May 15, 2023.
Scroll through the page below for more information regarding this year's celebration of graduates at Bren Hall.
***Watch the the Bren and Beyond Presentation on Thursday June 1 from 11am-12pm for a checklist of important to-do's to wrap up your time at Bren! Slides and Vimeo recording available***
Logistics and Details
Visitor Parking
Bren School guests may park in Lot 10 free of charge during the commencement celebration and reception. Visit the UCSB Campus map to find Lot 10 (located in quadrant 12-D). From Lot 10, visitors can walk out to Lagoon Road and take the sidewalk until they see Bren Hall on their right. Event signage will be posted.
Guests will need to print a permit to display on their dash in order to avoid receiving a parking citation. The printable permit will be sent to graduates via email the week before the event, and graduates are responsible for sending it to their guests.
Visiting UCSB and Santa Barbara
We recommend you relay to your family and friends the importance of booking hotel rooms NOW! Thousands (yes, thousands) of UCSB undergraduate and graduate students will be graduating that weekend.
International students who have family coming from outside the US may request a letter inviting their family members to the ceremony. Please send an email to the Student Affairs Team (academics@bren.ucsb.edu) with your family member names and we will send you a letter.
Post-program Reception
Immediately following the Bren celebration program, a sanctioned reception will be held on the lawn between Bren Hall and Harold Frank Hall. Please note that NO OUTSIDE ALCOHOL MAY BE BROUGHT TO THE RECEPTION.
Commencement Celebration Timeline (MESM, MEDS, and PhD Graduates)
8:00 - 8:30 am | Arrive at Bren Hall/Continental Breakfast
Arrive at Bren Hall. A light continental breakfast will be served on Deckers Deck as students and faculty gather and prepare for the celebration. Please note that only graduates and staff are allowed on the deck at this time, and only those students and staff may help themselves to the food and refreshments. Bren Hall 1424 will be open and available for storing clothes, etc, but it will not be secure so leave valuables at home.
8:30 - 8:40 am | MESM/MEDS students pick up Name Card
MEDS and MESM students need to pick up a card with their name on it, which will be read as you walk across the stage. PhD students do not need a card- as they will be called up to the stage individually in alphabetical order and their committee chair will say a few words about them while they stand on an "X" on stage.
8:40 am | Line-up for the Procession
All students must be on the sidewalk between Bren and the lawn at this time to line up for the procession. After the faculty lineup, PhD candidates will lead the student procession (as they need to be seated in the first row), followed by the graduating MEDS cohort's class chairs and then the rest of the class, then the MESM graduates led by their class chairs.
9:00 am | Commencement Celebration Program Begins
11:00 am - 12:30 pm | Reception on the Lawn
Following the ceremony, all students, family, and friends are invited to participate in the Bren reception, held on the lawn between Harold Frank Hall and Bren Hall.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many guests can I bring to the in-person celebration at Bren Hall?
There is no hard limit on the number of guests you may bring, however, be aware that there are only enough chairs in the courtyard to accommodate 4 guests per graduate, so be considerate to your fellow graduates when making your invitations.
How can my family/friends watch the Bren commencement celebration online?
The celebration will be livestreamed and will be available to watch live online on YouTube. A link and embedded video will be available on the Bren website event page on the day of the celebration.
My family/friends can’t attend or watch the celebration live, will it be available to watch later?
Yes, a recording of the livestream will be available to watch later on the event website, or email events@bren.ucsb.edu to request the link after the event.
Do I have to wear regalia (cap and gown) to the Bren celebration?
No, you do not have to wear regalia, but you may if you wish. You may dress however you like, as long as it’s suitable to appear in public!
If I want to wear regalia, how can I get it?
You may purchase Masters or PhD regalia through the UCSB Bookstore, in person or online. All items may also be purchased a la carte, if you wish to only wear a cap and sash or hood, for example.
Can the gown and hood be rented or only purchased?
Unfortunately, there is no rental option for Masters regalia available. If you purchase from the UCSB Bookstore, the gown and hood is yours to keep and you cannot return it. However, you could sell or pass it on to a 1st year Bren student for their commencement!
PhD graduates in the past have rented regalia from the website capgown.com successfully.
Is anything not allowed at the in-person celebration?
Drugs and alcohol are not allowed!
Where can my guests park for Commencement?
Guests can park free until 1:00pm in Lot 10, the closest parking structure to Bren Hall, using a printable permit. See above for more details about parking.
Will I receive my diploma at the commencement celebration?
No. Please read the Diplomas section below for further details.
Should I also participate in the UCSB Graduate Division Commencement Exercises?
The Bren Commencement Celebration will not be a formal commencement ceremony with the conferring of degrees by UCSB Chancellor Henry Yang. If you wish to participate in a formal commencement ceremony, you should register for the Graduate Division Commencement Exercises (following the Bren celebration) on the UCSB Commencement Green. Regalia will be required to participate in the Grad Div ceremony. More information can be found here.
You are not required to participate in any commencement ceremony.
Does my student health insurance expire in June when I graduate?
If you have a UCSB health insurance plan (UCSHIP), your plan will cover you until Saturday, September 23, 2023. Therefore, you will have health insurance coverage throughout the summer months after graduation. You may wish to visit UC SHIP for more information.
COMMENCEMENT PROGRAM NAME VERIFICATION
The spelling of your name and additional details listed below will appear in the Bren Commencement Program. If this is not the name or detail you would like to have printed or read in the program, please email the appropriate revision to kristine@bren.ucsb.edu no later than May 22 with the subject line “Bren Commencement Program Name Correction.”
PhD Students
Please provide us your information in this order: First Name, Last Name, Additional Advanced Degree (s) Earned from UCSB, Dissertation Title, Faculty Chair (e.g., Kristin Clark, Environmental Applications of Magnetic Sorbents: Natural Geosorbents and Surfactant Based Mesoporous Materials for the Recovery of Persistent Organic Pollutants and Oxyanions, Arturo Keller). *Not Walking.
Send us the above information if you plan to graduate this year and we will post it when it has been received!
2023 Graduates
- Violaine Desgens-Martin: Assessing Ecological Risks of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Central and Southern California Aquatic Environments using Modeling, Dr. Arturo Keller
- Alberto Garcia: Evaluating Impacts of Forests and Forest Policy: Methods and Applications using Satellite Data, Dr. Robert Heilmayr
- Jacob Gellman*: Essasy on the Economics of Wildfire, Dr. Andrew Plantinga
- Niklas Griessbaum: Towards the Twilight of File-Centricity, Dr. James Frew
- Christopher Heckman: On the Importance of Roots to Eco-hydrology: The Effect of Plant Accessible Water Storage Capacity on Evapotranspiration, Dr. Naomi Tague
- Timnit Kefela Araya: (Micro)plastics in Solid Environmental Matrices, Dr. Patricia Holden
- Seonghoon Kim*: Collective Reputation and Business Sustainability, Dr. Matt Potoski
- Casey O'Hara: Cataloguing and Mapping Cumulative Human Impacts on Marine Biological and Functional Diversity to Inform Conservation Management, Professor Benjamin Halpern
- Phoebe Racine: Evaluating Impacts, Popularizing Solutions and Policy Considerations of U.S. Seafood Systems, Dr. Darcy Bradley and Dr. Steve Gaines
- Vincent Thivierge: Evaluating the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Environmental Policies for Global and Local Air Pollutants, Dr. Kyle Meng and Dr. Olivier Deschênes
- Erin Winslow*: Post-disturbance Dynamics of Branching Corals and Their Predators, Dr. Steve Gaines
MESM and MEDS Students
Please find your name in the list below and verify that we have the correct spelling, your specialization(s) (if applicable), and focus (if applicable) correct. This will also be the way your name is read as you cross the stage at Commencement. If you would like something different read or printed in the Commencement program, this is your chance to correct it! Please respond to Kristine Duarte by May 22 at 12:00 p.m. with any changes.
If your name or specialization is incorrect, or if you have further questions or concerns regarding the commencement program, please contact Kristine Duarte (kristine@bren.ucsb.edu).
MESM Class of 2023
| Last Name | First Name | Specialization/Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Ajina | Alia | WRM, CMRM |
| Alexander | Kort | CMRM |
| Andersen | Drew | EC |
| Audras | Cameron | EPE |
| Babcock | Logan | EC, SECM |
| Baker | Elijah | EPE |
| Bianchi | Grace | EC |
| Bickford | Julia | CMRM, PPR |
| Boyd | Lucas | EC |
| Carbó Mestre | Pol | CMRM |
| Chaudhuri | Ridhima | EC |
| Cole | Eric | EPE, EI&E |
| Combs | Annie | CEM, EI&E |
| Cornelius | Andrea | CP |
| Elliott | Deanna | CMRM |
| Fager | Russell | CEM, EC |
| Geldin | Michelle | PPR, CP, SECM |
| Gonzales | Savana | WRM |
| Gracer | Allison | CEM, EC, EI&E |
| Gries | Taylor | CEM, SECM |
| Guarnieri | Mia | CP |
| Hamilton | Sarah | EC |
| Hammond | Margaret | CEM |
| Harris | Lauren | CP |
| Herbst de Cortina | Marielena | CEM |
| Kaveh | Shayan | EPE , SECM |
| King | Thomas | CP, SECM |
| Kuglen | Samantha | CMRM |
| Lam | Sarah | CMRM |
| LaManna | Renee | CMRM |
| Lamen | Sachiko | CP, CMRM, SECM |
| Leiker | Sophia | CP |
| Lenihan | Thomas | EC |
| Maggart | Trevor | WRM |
| Mancilla | Cristina | CP |
| Martin | Ali | CP |
| Mathlouthi | Narjes | EC, CMRM |
| Matiska | Kiera | EC |
| McCafferty | Matthew | WRM |
| McManus | Nickolas | CP, SECM |
| Medina | Taylor | PPR |
| Meuter | Claire | CP |
| Miller | Jack | CEM, EI&E |
| Moscona-Remnitz | Benjamin | EC |
| Moya | Katheryn | CP |
| Munster | Katie | CMRM |
| Ngo | Devin | EC |
| Odom | Daija | EC, SECM |
| Orellana | Katherine | CP |
| Osen | Carleigh | CEM, SECM |
| Ossentjuk | Logan | CMRM, SECM |
| Palombo | Marco | EC |
| Pan | Virginia | CMRM, CEM, EI&E |
| Patterson | Alissa | CP, SECM |
| Pelegri-O'Day | Patrick | CP |
| Pelstring | Emily | EC |
| Pennington | Hollie | EPE, SECM |
| Pietrucha | Katie | CP, CMRM, SECM |
| Puig-Santana | Alessandra | CMRM, SECM |
| Raal | Naomi | CMRM |
| Rao | Meghna | PPR |
| Robinson | Cristina | CMRM |
| Rohlfing | Sarah-Anne | PPR, EI&E |
| Rosencrance | Katherine | CP |
| Rossi | Devon | CMRM, SECM |
| Rozal | Samantha | CEM , SECM, EI&E |
| Sridhara | Anusha | CEM, EPE, SECM |
| Sanford | Abigail | CMRM , SECM |
| Seif | Jonah | CMRM |
| Setmajer | Alexandra J | PPR, EI&E |
| Settineri | Max | EC |
| Shepherd | Caroline | WRM |
| Shiroma | Sachi | CEM |
| Smith | Conner | CMRM, EPE, SECM |
| Tarr | Chase | WRM |
| Vermeer | Evert | CP |
| White | Kirsten | CMRM |
| Wilson | Julia | CEM, EI&E |
| Wilson | Charlie | CP, SECM |
| Wilson | Eva | CP |
| Zauner | Anna | CEM, EI&E, SECM |
MEDS Class of 2023
| First Name | Last Name |
|---|---|
| Jillian | Allison |
| Atahualpa | Ayala Gómez |
| Andrew | Bartnik |
| Erica | Bishop |
| Carlo | Broderick |
| Meagan | Brown |
| Victoria | Cutler |
| Erica | Dale |
| Andre | Dextre |
| Erika | Egg |
| Ruth | Enriquez |
| Kiran | Favre |
| Jessica | French |
| Mallory | Giesie |
| Elise | Gonzales |
| Michelle | Lam |
| Dalila | Lara |
| Colleen | McCamy |
| Javier | Patrón |
| Jared | Petry |
| Alexandria | Reed |
| Adelaide | Robinson |
| Guillermo | Romero |
| Amritpal | Sandhu |
| Wade | Sedgwick |
| Gabrielle | Smith |
| Hailey | Veirs |
| Alessandra | Vidal Meza |
| Lewis | White |
| Elke | Windschitl |
| Michael | Zargari |
DIPLOMAS, TRANSCRIPTS, AND DEGREE VERIFICATIONS
Graduation Verification
At UCSB, graduate students DO NOT need to declare that they are closing their degree objective on GOLD; only undergraduates are required to do this.
For MESM and MEDS students, the Grad Check Form is the only form required to confirm completion of your degree. The Bren School staff will verify that you met the degree requirements, generate and print a Grad Check form and will notify the Graduate Division that you are eligible for graduation.
Graduating PhD candidates must submit a completed Graduate Division Form III to receive their degree, in addition to efiling their dissertation and submitting a signature page to the Graduate Division. The Form III may be submitted to the Graduate Division prior to graduation or in the summer or fall, depending on the quarter when the PhD candidate is planning to finish the degree. Please notify Kristine Duarte if you intend to walk with this year's graduating class.
Receiving Diplomas
Diplomas usually arrive 4-6 months after graduation. If you need official verification that you did graduate after you have completed your final quarter, you may use the UCSB GOLD system to order an official transcript from the Office of the Registrar. By law, the Bren School cannot provide transcripts, as only the Office of the Registrar may supply these records. You will want to indicate on your request the date and degree earned.
Letter of Verification
If you complete your degree requirements and need immediate proof that you have finished your education, you may request a letter of verification from the Office of the Registrar. The Bren School cannot provide an official letter verifying your graduation; only the Office of the Registrar can legally provide students this information. The Bren School may only provide a "provisional" verification letter to your employer stating that you completed your degree requirements and that official conferral of degree will be provided by the Office of the Registrar. This letter will be issued only if you have fulfilled all of your requirements and your records are complete and approved per the Graduate Division and the Office of the Registrar.
Mailing of Diplomas
Diplomas are mailed approximately 3-4 months after the date of graduation and are sent automatically to the "diploma address" on record in the UCSB GOLD system. Click here for information on changing your diploma address.
PLEASE NOTE: UCSB is not responsible for diplomas that are lost or damaged in the mailing process. Appropriate fees will be assessed for duplicate diplomas requested for those that are lost or damaged during mailing. Please contact the Office of the Registrar at 805-893-2633 or send e-mail for more information.
Name on Your Diploma
Your diploma will be printed with the name that is on your official record at UCSB. If you need to make any changes or have any questions, visit Information on Diplomas, or call them at 805-893-2633.
Replacement Diplomas
If your diploma has been lost or damaged and you would like to inquire about obtaining a new one, visit Information on Diplomas or call them at 805-893-2633.
Other Diploma-Related Questions
If you have any other questions or need to make any changes, visit Information on Diplomas or call them at 805-893-2633.
Transcripts
All students and alumni must order transcripts by logging into GOLD, navigating to the Transcripts|Verifications menu option, selecting "Official Transcripts," and then clicking on "Order Transcripts" to get the process started. Visit the How to Order a Transcript page on the UCSB Office of the Registrar website for additional information. GOLD is also the place to access unofficial transcripts, and students may do so free of charge.
Deferring Graduation Until Summer Quarter
If you have TA position over the summer or you are an international student who plans to stay in the US 60 days after the end of Spring Quarter, you may want to defer your graduation until Summer. Please talk with the career team about your career goals, fill out the Graduation Deferral Request Form (and the Summer Filing Leave petition if you are an international student), and submit it to the Student Affairs and Admissions Manager (Kristine Duarte) by the end of Spring Quarter.
