UW–Madison graduation Countdown

The Wisconsin Idea, born in 1848

Wisconsin's flagship was chartered in 1848 and built its reputation on the Wisconsin Idea — the principle that the university's work should benefit every corner of the state. Today it is a research powerhouse spanning everything from dairy science to stem-cell biology — human embryonic stem cells were first isolated here in 1998 — on a lakeshore campus where Bascom Hill meets Lake Mendota. Its most famous dropout may be John Muir, who studied here in the 1860s and said he left "the University of Wisconsin for the University of the Wilderness."

Jump Around at Camp Randall

Spring commencement returned to Camp Randall Stadium in 2015 after a 25-year absence, and it now feels like a home football Saturday: Bucky Badger, the marching band, "Varsity" sung with arms swaying, and the whole class bouncing to House of Pain's "Jump Around" one last time. The bachelor's ceremony runs about 90 minutes at midday, while doctoral and master's candidates celebrate in a separate ceremony. Nearly 9,000 graduates crossed Camp Randall's field in spring 2026, with author James Patterson delivering the address.

Graduates, class by class

The Class of 1929 included Eudora Welty, later a Pulitzer-winning storyteller; Gaylord Nelson finished his law degree in 1942 and went on to found Earth Day. Joyce Carol Oates took her master's in 1961 before an astonishing literary career, and the Class of 1971 gave Silicon Valley one of its pioneering female CEOs, Carol Bartz. Greta Van Susteren, Class of 1976, became a fixture of cable news, while Laurel Clark (BS 1983, MD 1987) flew as a NASA astronaut.

Planning your Madison graduation weekend

Camp Randall's guest seating is general admission — first come, first served, with no per-graduate ticket limit — so families can bring everyone, but should arrive when doors open at 10 a.m. for good seats. Madison hotels around the Capitol Square and campus sell out well ahead of graduation weekend, so book early and expect Monroe Street crowds. The ceremony streams live for anyone who can't make it. Share this countdown with your house, your org, and the class group chat so everyone jumps around together.

Quick facts

• Founded in 1848, the same year Wisconsin achieved statehood.
• Spring commencement for bachelor's degrees is Saturday, May 8, 2027, at noon in Camp Randall Stadium.
• Camp Randall Stadium seats 76,057 and sits on the grounds of a Civil War camp where more than 70,000 Union soldiers trained.
• UW–Madison enrolled 51,865 students in fall 2025.
• The university counts 504,072 living alumni.
• "Jump Around" has been a Camp Randall staple since 1998 — and is now part of commencement itself.