More than 1,300 Illinois State University students will earn degrees this December, with winter commencement scheduled for Saturday, December 13, 2025, in CEFCU Arena.
Graduating Redbirds by the numbers: December 2025
Unit: Graduation Services
Graduating Redbirds: Full-time mail carrier delivers on goal of earning college degree
Marshad Moses personifies the definition of perseverance. At 35, this native Chicagoan hasn’t backed down from going after his goal of a college education.
Graduating Redbirds: COB transfer student uses leadership skills to lift others, especially in his hometown
Mason Ely is serious about leadership, and he’s serious about using it to lift those around him.
Winter 2025 Commencement, December 13
Illinois State University’s winter commencement will be held in two ceremonies on Saturday, December 13, 2025, in CEFCU Arena.
Graduating Redbirds: Educator and trumpet performer strives to make music accessible to all
Lauren Cancio is ready to carry inclusive music practices into her future classroom as she graduates from Illinois State in December with a double major in music education and trumpet performance.
Graduating Redbirds: Resilience carries first-gen student Isabel Romero to graduation
For Isabel Romero, graduating from Illinois State University became more than a chance to earn a bachelor’s degree. Despite setbacks that shook her confidence, Romero was inspired by her parents to persevere as a first-generation college graduate.
Spring commencement 2025 recap: Best pics and posts
Illinois State honored 4,481 new graduates during spring commencement on May 9–10, celebrating their achievements with five ceremonies and a flood of #RedbirdProud moments shared across campus.
Graduating Redbirds: PULSE graduate prepared to teach, advocate for special education students
Laura Martinez first grasped the power of teaching as a teenager growing up in Mexico. Tasked with volunteering in her community for a high school civics class, Martinez, then 15, chose to tutor more than 80 third-graders who were behind academically. Within three months, she taught most students in her Saturday-morning extra-help sessions how to
Graduating Redbirds: Political science major Jazmine Benson finds purpose and community at Illinois State
For graduating senior Jazmine Benson, Illinois State University wasn’t just a college choice. It became a foundation for academic growth, leadership, and meaningful connections.
Graduating Redbirds by the numbers: May 2025
Nearly 3,500 Illinois State University students will earn degrees this May, with spring commencement scheduled for Friday, May 9-Saturday, May 10, 2025, in CEFCU Arena.
