Eastern Michigan University will hold its winter commencement ceremony on December 14, 2025, at the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The event will begin at 9:30 a.m. and will honor a total of 1,066 graduates, including six Ph.D. candidates, 233 master’s degree candidates, and 827 undergraduates.
Among those graduating are Andrea Bracy and Jacara Moore from the first cohort of EMU’s College in Prison program to participate in commencement. Emma Operacz is also notable for completing her studies after being diagnosed with stage 4 T-cell lymphoma at age 22.
John Bodary has been named as this year’s commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient. Bodary is an Eastern Michigan University alumnus and president of Woods Construction, Inc., a national general contracting company that he has led since 1989. He graduated from EMU in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in construction management. “John Bodary…will serve as the University’s winter commencement speaker. He will also receive an honorary Doctor of Commercial Science degree in recognition of his leadership in the construction industry, extensive community service, and decades-long commitment to EMU,” according to the university.
Bodary has served on the Dean’s Advisory Board for more than three decades and was previously honored as Eastern Constructor’s Alumni of the Year (1995) and EMU Young Alumni of the Year (1996).
James “Jim” Webb will also be recognized during the ceremony with an honorary Doctor of Commercial Science degree. Webb is a two-time EMU graduate who earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in management in 1971 and his MBA in finance in 1976 after completing an associate degree at College of the Sequoias. Webb worked for many years in risk management before retiring as chairman of Aon Risk Services, Inc. of Michigan in 2017.
Webb served on Eastern Michigan University’s Board of Regents from 2012 to 2020, including as chair between 2018 and 2020. During his tenure he contributed to presidential searches, student initiatives such as Swoop’s Pantry, and other strategic projects at EMU.
His achievements have earned him numerous honors including the EMU Alumni Achievement Award, Dr. John W. Porter Distinguished Service Award, and Outstanding Alumni Award from the Accounting and Finance Alumni Chapter.
Attendees are encouraged to arrive early due to entrance screening procedures; only small clutches or clear bags meeting specified size requirements will be permitted inside the venue. Further details about event logistics can be found on the official commencement webpage. A livestream link will also be provided there on the day of graduation.
Eastern Michigan University was established in 1849 and is currently Michigan’s second-oldest public university with more than 12,000 students enrolled across undergraduate through doctoral programs. The university offers over three hundred academic programs through several colleges, focusing on career readiness through applied education practices.
For additional information about Eastern Michigan University or updates regarding campus events visit the university’s website or EMU Today.
