Liu is a Colorado native who graduated summa cum laude from CC in 1977 as a Boettcher Scholar. She pioneered two technologies for cancer and vaccines (bispecific antibodies and DNA vaccines), for which she has received a number of awards internationally, with two honorary doctorates including a D.Sc.hc from Colorado College and an M.D.hc, from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, where she had been previously invited to lecture by the Nobel committee. She is known as “The Mother of DNA Vaccines,” a technology that also laid foundations for mRNA vaccines. She was the scientific lead for the WHO drafting group for the recently approved WHO guidelines for mRNA vaccines. She passed the Epreuve pour le Diplôme d’Enseignement à l’Unanimité du Jury in piano at L’Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris, also in 1977, and earned an M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 1981. Click here for Dr. Liu’s complete bio.

In addition, Dr. Neena Grover, Verner Z. Reed Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has been selected as the 2022 Baccalaureate speaker. Baccalaureate, an intimate ceremony for graduates and their two invited guests to reflect on the rite of passage of graduation, is scheduled for Saturday, May 21, at 3 p.m. (location TBD). Click here for Dr. Grover’s complete bio.

Ticket Information
Each graduate may claim seven total tickets for guests (five in reserved seating, and two standing room only), free of charge, for the Commencement ceremony in Ed Robson Arena. More instructions for claiming tickets will be forthcoming, and graduates will be able to claim their tickets through the Ticketmaster system at the beginning of May. 

Deadline to Apply to Graduate is April 20!
Graduating seniors must submit their application to graduate by Wednesday, April 20, to walk in the ceremony this spring. Graduates must also complete the application to graduate before they can claim guest tickets. Students who are eligible will find the link to the application on their student menu in Banner SSB. The application only takes a few minutes to complete, and allows you to opt into the ceremony, provide height information for a gown, and confirm diploma name and mailing address. 

A New Venue: Ed Robson Arena
Ed Robson Arena opened its doors in the fall of 2021, serving not only as the first on-campus home for CC hockey, but also as a multipurpose gathering space for campus events and the Colorado Springs community. As the Commencement 2022 venue, Ed Robson Arena offers complete ADA accessibility. The state-of-the-art sound system and high-definition video scoreboard screen offer consistent audio, up-close viewing of the stage and speakers, and a clear view of sign language interpreters from all seats. In addition, Robson offers a temperature-controlled environment without the need for a weather contingency plan. We look forward to honoring our graduates in this new space that’s bursting with Tiger pride! Immediately following the ceremony — from 11 a.m. until about noon — all graduates, their guests, faculty, and staff are invited to the President’s Reception on Tava Quad.

Don’t Miss Your Class Celebration on Friday, May 20
Graduates, bring your family and friends to enjoy this festive event in honor of your graduation! We’ll gather at the Antlers Hotel in downtown Colorado Springs from 8-11 p.m. on Friday, May 20, for music, food, drinks, and entertainment. Graduates will receive information about how to claim their own free ticket and purchase tickets for all of their guests ($25/person) in early May.

For additional information about Commencement 2022 activities, visit the event homepage. Enjoy these last 50 days of your time at CC — we can’t wait to honor you and your achievements!