CNN Hero of the Year Nelly Cheboi (Augustana Class of ’16) will deliver the college’s commencement address on Saturday, May 27 at 2 p.m., at Vibrant Arena at The MARK, 1201 River Dr., Moline.

Cheboi, co-founder of TechLit Africa, was honored in April with the establishment of the Nelly Cheboi Endowed Scholarship, which will be awarded to Augie international students with demonstrated need and academic merit.

Augustana College president Andrea Talentino, who became the college’s ninth president on July 1, 2022, will deliver her first commencement convocation. Sofia Briggs, an applied mathematics major from Fort Collins, Colo., who serves as vice president of the Student Government Association, will be the featured student speaker.

The Class of 2023 (with 624 graduates) is the most diverse class in Augustana’s 163-year history, with graduates hailing from 20 countries (including the U.S.) and 24 U.S. states, according to a Monday release. That includes 77 international students; there are 85 graduates who call Rock Island County home and 17 graduates are from Scott County.

The most popular majors are biology (with 72 majors), psychology (with 52 majors), and accounting and business administration-finance (with 50 majors each), the college said.

Additionally, 17 individuals will be recognized for earning a master of science degree in speech-language pathology. This is the second group of graduates of the master’s program, with a master’s hooding ceremony slated for 2:30 p.m. Friday, May 26, at the Peter J. Lindberg, M.D., Center.

To view a complete list of those being celebrated, visit Candidates for graduation 2023. Augustana’s commencement convocation will be livestreamed and can be accessed at Augustana.edu. 

Doors open for Saturday’s commencement at noon and tickets are not required.