Winona State University will host Spring 2017 Commencement Friday, May 5, in McCown Gymnasium in Memorial Hall on the Winona campus.

The first ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. and include the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Education. The second ceremony will begin at 12:30 p.m. and include the College of Business and the College of Science and Engineering. The final ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. and include the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

Almost 1,200 students will participate in the three ceremonies. Nearly half of WSU’s spring 2017 graduates are first-generation students, meaning they are the first in their family to obtain a four-year degree.

Doors open one hour prior to each ceremony. A reception will be held following each ceremony at the Alumni Gazebo in the middle of the Winona campus. Rain location for this reception is Talbot Gymnasium, Memorial Hall.

A live stream of the ceremonies will be available online at http://www.winona.edu/graduation/live-stream.asp.

Alternate viewing locations will be available on the Winona campus in the Integrated Wellness Complex, room 143, and the Performing Arts Center, Recital Hall.

The comments of a graduating student are featured as part of each Winona State Commencement ceremony. The 9 a.m. speaker will be Mariah Mrotek of Racine, Minn. Mrotek will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Advertising. The 12:30 p.m. speaker will be Duc Nyugen of Mounds View, Minn. Nyugen will graduate with bachelor’s degrees in Human Resources Management and Business Administration. The final speaker will be Denver Robinson, of Farmington, Minn. Robinson will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Nursing.

The commencement ceremonies are broadcast live on HBC TV 25 in Winona and markets served by Hiawatha Broadband Communications. HBC TV 25 will also rebroadcast the ceremonies Saturday, May 6. The 9 a.m. ceremony will air at 2 p.m., the 12:30 p.m. ceremony will air at 4 p.m., and the 4 p.m. ceremony will air at 6 p.m.

For more information, visit http://www.winona.edu/graduation/commencement.asp or call University Communications at 507-457-5024.