National Commencement News

On Sunday, July 10, 2022, the National Commencement ceremony of Union Institute & University will be at the Hilton Netherland Plaza, Hall of Mirrors in Cincinnati, OH, at 2 p.m. Union celebrates granting doctoral, master’s and bachelor’s degrees to 387 students, representing 30 states and three countries. The youngest graduate is 23, and the oldest is 75. The 2022 graduating class now joins the more than 20,000 Union alumni who continue to bring honor to Union’s mission to provide creative and achievable pathways and solutions for students to be engaged, enlightened, and empowered and to pursue a lifetime of learning, service, and social responsibility.

Union’s commencement speaker is Edgar L. Smith, Jr., a visionary, compassionate leader who embodies Union’s mission to engage, enlighten, and empower those around him. Smith serves as chair of the Union Institute & University Board of Trustees and founder, chairman, and CEO of Cincinnati, Ohio-based World Pac Paper. World Pac Paper is a privately held BE 100 company in addition to an award-winning national, independent distributor of high-quality papers and packaging solutions. In 2004, Smith founded World Pac Paper, which was named an Inc. 500 Top Black-Run Company in 2009. In his role as chairman and CEO, Smith leads and provides strategic direction, planning and business development.