UC Davis Law to Hold Virtual Commencement on May 15
UC Davis School of Law will hold a virtual commencement for the Class of 2021 on Saturday, May 15 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Chancellor Gary S. May and Dean Kevin R. Johnson will address the graduates, as will faculty speaker Professor Jasmine E. Harris and student speaker Viktoriya Chebotarev ’21. Students selected the faculty and student speakers.
In addition to the virtual event, UC Davis Law will hold a safe, socially distanced in-person photo opportunity for graduates from 10 a.m.-noon on Friday, May 14 at King Hall. Plans may change depending on state and local health guidance.
The decision on a virtual commencement was reached after consultation with the central UC Davis administration and the Class of 2021 commencement committee, Dean Kevin R. Johnson said.
“We all wish we could be together for a joyous celebration, but our community’s health and safety require a virtual commencement,” Johnson said. “The Class of 2021 has shown remarkable resilience and willingness to adapt during the pandemic. I thank everyone for their patience and cooperation.”
The virtual ceremony will mirror the usual commencement. Graduates in regalia will join a Zoom ceremony. Graduates will hear their names announced and, if possible, be hooded on camera. The event will be streamed over Facebook Live.
Bonta, the keynote speaker, was sworn in on April 23 by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Bonta is California’s 34th attorney general, and the first Filipino American and second Asian American to hold the office. Newsom selected Bonta, previously a Democratic state Assemblyman, to fill the office vacated by Xavier Becerra, now the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services. Elected in 2012 to represent the California State Assembly’s 18th District (Alameda, Oakland, San Leandro), Bonta advanced legislative reforms to the state’s criminal justice system. He authored a law phasing out private prisons and immigration detention facilities and introduced legislation to end cash bail in many cases. Bonta also led statewide fights for racial, economic, and environmental justice and worked to further the rights of immigrant families, renters and working Californians. A graduate of Bella Vista High School in Fair Oaks, Bonta worked his way through college, graduating with honors from Yale College before earning a J.D. from Yale Law School.
Chebotarev, the student speaker, was born in Belarus and immigrated with her family to the United States as a refugee. She holds two bachelor’s degrees from UC Berkeley. As a law student, Chebotarev served in leadership positions for the Christian Legal Society and the King Hall Negotiations Team and externed for the Sacramento City Attorney’s Office, Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office and California Attorney General’s office. After graduation, she will join the California Attorney General’s office.
There are 223 graduates in the Class of 2021.
For questions about commencement or the in-person photo shoot, please contact Events Manager Onell Berrios.