Law

Graduation for the Class of 2023

With the graduation of the Class of 2023, the College of Law celebrates the 190th anniversary of its founding. 

Below is the link to Hooding Ceremony YouTube live stream page. The live stream icon will be on this page an hour before the ceremony starts. Click the link to the Fifth Third Arena Events page to watch the ceremony.

Fifth Third Arena: livestream page

Hooding Details

When: 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 13th. Doors open to guests at 12:00 p.m. Graduating students report at 11:30 a.m.

Where: Fifth Third Arena on the University of Cincinnati campus (2700 O'Varsity Way, Cincinnati, OH 45221). Find a campus map here. Guests may not bring any balloons or outside food or drink into the venue. There will be a bag check at the door. 

  • Cincinnati Athletics Clear Bag Policy: Guests and students will be able to bring one clear bag – either a one-gallon Ziploc-style bag or a clear bag tote no larger than 12” x 6” x 12” – AND a small clutch bag or wallet that is roughly the size of a hand (no larger than 4.5” x 6.5”) into Fifth Third Arena. Non-approved bags include backpacks, camera cases, oversized purses and other large bags.
  • Concessions will be available.
  • All attendees will be required to pass through metal detectors.

Hooding Speaker: This year’s Hooding speaker is UC Law alumnus Yvette Simpson (’04). Yvette became the first woman to serve as a Chief Executive Officer at Democracy for America as well as the first woman of color in executive leadership. Yvette is a former Cincinnati City Council President Pro Tempore. She served as the Federal Electoral Manager for Democracy for America (DFA)during the second half of 2018 helping to flip control of the US House with historic victories electing the most progressive and diverse coalition of candidates in America’s history.  

Nicholas Longworth, III Alumni Achievement Award:  Janetta L. Brewer, a member of the Class of 2006

Guests: Students may invite as many guests as they wish and no tickets are required. Guests may not bring any balloons or outside food or drink into the venue. There will be a bag check at the door. Bag size is limited to 8" X 14".

  • Cincinnati Athletics Clear Bag Policy: Guests and students will be able to bring one clear bag – either a one-gallon Ziploc-style bag or a clear bag tote no larger than 12” x 6” x 12” – AND a small clutch bag or wallet that is roughly the size of a hand (no larger than 4.5” x 6.5”) into Fifth Third Arena. Non-approved bags include backpacks, camera cases, oversized purses and other large bags.

Guest hooders: Guest hooders are allowed to participate in the ceremony. Guest hooders must be a direct relative of the graduate and a graduate of the University of Cincinnati College of Law; or the hooder is a parent of the graduate and is faculty or adjunct faculty at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. Students requesting a guest hooder must notify Tonya Hampton by April 21st..

Photography: A photographer will be there to take your photograph as you walk across the stage.   

Accessibility: Fifth Third Arena is fully accessible. Attendees are invited to submit accessibility accommodation requests at this link.

Parking: There is no parking located in the Arena, however, there are several parking garages nearby. In addition, there will be a golf cart shuttle available from Corry Garage (2529 Scioto Ln.) to take one family at a time to the Arena entrance as needed. Corry and Calhoun garages will be free and open to the public. Find a campus map here.

Lodging and discounts: The following hotels offer a UC Law discount rate: .

UC Law student Dallas Cameron Guttman gestures crowd during the Hooding Ceremony for the College of Law. Verna Williams, Dean University of Cincinnati College of Law and students enjoyed Hooding Ceremony for the College of Law Saturday May 14, 2022. Photo by Joseph Fuqua II