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CU Boulder conferred more than 9,400 degrees today during a cloudy yet joyous commencement ceremony at Folsom Field, with an estimated 30,000-plus family and friends gathered for the event. 

After introductory remarks from commencement marshal Bud Coleman, Chancellor Philip DiStefano introduced the commencement speaker, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. Wozniak addressed the Class of 2024, reflecting on his time at CU Boulder and sharing some lessons he learned during and since.

“Keep smiling and pay your own success forward,” he said. “You will forget a lot of class material, but you will always remember the people you had experiences with and your time here at CU.”

DiStefano then conferred 6,852 undergraduate degrees, 1,763 master’s degrees, 141 Master of Business Administration degrees, 194 law degrees and 463 doctoral degrees. (These figures were updated May 3 and could shift.)

Many of the graduates entered their college careers in 2020, in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, and were deprived of high school graduation celebrations. 

In his last commencement speech as CU Boulder chancellor, DiStefano gave students words of encouragement as they prepare to tackle the challenges of the future.  

“Only you can define your life’s imperatives and I'm confident that whatever you choose you will pursue boldly, knowing your time at CU Boulder has prepared you for a life of leadership, innovation and positive impact.”

“When I consider what the University of Colorado stands for, and the impact it’s making on thousands of lives each year, I feel nothing but pride and appreciation for this university and what we're accomplishing together,” DiStefano said.