School of Law Commencement Ceremony
The School of Law's 2026 Commencement ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 9 at 9 a.m. at UD Arena.
When will the commencement ceremonies take place?
Saturday, May 9, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. (doors open at 8:00 a.m.)
Where will commencement be held?
The University of Dayton Arena
1801 S. Edwin C. Moses Blvd.
Dayton, OH 45417
Do my family and guests need tickets?
No. There is plenty of seating in the arena.
Will the ceremony be live streamed for friends and family who cannot attend to watch?
Yes. We will make a link available when the date gets closer.
Where should I park?
Graduates, their families and friends should enter through Gate B and park in Lot A, which is on the south side of the building.
Is handicap parking available?
Yes. There are many spots adjacent to the Arena.
Is handicap seating available?
Yes. The arena staff will be available to assist with special seating requests.
How long will the ceremony last?
Typically, the ceremony lasts under 90 minutes.
Where will the graduation reception take place?
There will be a reception immediately following Commencement in the Atrium of Keller Hall.
May I bring guests to the reception?
Yes. Your guests will have the opportunity to meet Dayton Law faculty, staff, fellow students and all the new grads!
Where can we park for the reception?
You and your guests may park in any single letter lot near the school (A, B, P, or S1).
What size are the diplomas?
Official diplomas are 12” by 15”.
Where can I order official UD diploma frames?
Visit https://udbookstore.universityframes.com/ to see all of the frame options offered by the UD bookstore. To make sure the frame size is correct, choose your frame type by clicking on “Customize”> Select any of the customizable options you would like under “Summary”> Click on the pencil next to “Document Size”> On the right side of the page, click the dropdown arrow titled “Select your document size”> Choose “Fit Diploma Size: 12 height x 15 width”> Click on the “Apply” button. You can customize other aspects of your diploma frame on the website, but the size of the diploma must be set to 12” x 15” in order to fit the UDSL diploma.
Brother Fitz Student Leader For Justice Award
Each year, the School of Law bestows the Brother Raymond Fitz Student Leader
Recipients
2005 - Hannah R. Arel
2006 - Sarah E. Brown, Juliette Dame, Max L. Eckstein and Jennifer J. George
2007 - Molly L. Buckman and Lisa D. Worley
2008 - Brandy Tolley
2009 - Julie Reiter Pellerite
2010 - Kellie Christine Clark
2011 - Carla Michelle O'Donnell
2012 - Robert C. Jeffries
2013 - Mohamed Hassan Al-Hamdani
2014 - Kyle J. LaBuff
2015 - Loukesha Brooks
2016 - Kathryn E. Bosomworth
2017 - Shanir J. Carter
2018 - Timothy Hill
2019 - Simeon T. Lyons
2021 - Khandice Lofton and Zion Savory
2022 - Deztany Johnson
2023 - Charles Scott-Palmer
2024 - Anthony Covington
2025 - David Urgilez
Kloppenberg Student Leadership Award
Lisa A. Kloppenberg served as the Dean of University of Dayton School of Law from 2001 to 2011. During her tenure, Dean Kloppenberg masterfully guided the School of Law toward excellence. She helped create the "Lawyer as Problem Solver" curriculum, which garnered the School of Law national recognition for its innovative approach toward educating the attorneys of tomorrow.
In addition, Dean Kloppenberg successfully published dozens of publications during her tenure as Dean of the School of Law. One key publication was the co-authoring of the Resolving Disputes, Theory, Practice and Law textbook. Another important publication was the article Playing It Safe, How the Supreme Court Sidesteps Hard Cases and Stunts the Development of Law.
Finally, Dean Kloppenberg challenged all members of the School of Law to pursue excellence through public service and community engagement. During Dean Kloppenberg's time as Dean, students dedicated an average of over 8,000 hours of community service to the Greater Dayton community each year. The Student Bar Association honored Dean Kloppenberg's service by creating the Lisa A. Kloppenberg Outstanding Student Leadership Award.
Award Overview
This award recognizes a graduating law student who exhibits leadership traits similar to those exemplified by Dean Kloppenberg. Nominated students must demonstrate a record of significant contributions to, and involvement with, the School of Law, academic contributions to the profession, and commitment to public service and community engagement.
Recipients
2011 - Adam D. Petty
2012 - Christopher G. Hempfling and James C. Kezele
2013 - Kevin John Conner
2014 - Andrew William Hughes
2015 - Joseph John Latas
2016 - Michelle Thompson Sundgaard
2017 - LeighAnn M. Thomas
2018 - Elizabeth A. Herdmann
2019 - Antonio Ayubi
2021 - Carly Suierveld
2022 - Lauren Breitenstein
2023 - Wendy Palmer
2024 - Daniel Wiest
2025 - Ana Scherschel