This weekend's forecast may be gray and gloomy, but it will be nothing but sunshine and high spirits for more than 1,100 undergraduates participating in this year's fall commencements on Saturday, Dec. 13.

The annual event will be held at the UC Davis ARC Pavilion and will have two ceremonies: one for the College of Letters and Science at 10 a.m., and one for the colleges of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, and Engineering at 2 p.m.

Only in its sixth year, the event has become a popular alternative to the much busier spring commencements, mainly because it gives students easier access to tickets and seating for guests.

However, friends and family members can also sit in the comfort of their own home and watch a live webcast of the whole ceremony at http://commencementvideo.ucdavis.edu/.

"We're trying to have the webcast relate to the centennial as much as we can because we want to recognize that," said Cathe Richardson, commencement coordinator for the colleges of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, and Engineering.

The video will remain on the Web site after the ceremony as well.

Advice for new graduates

It is customary for a dean from one of the colleges to give a speech at the commencements. This year College of Engineering Dean Enrique Lavernia will give the keynote speech, and he will focus on advising students how to grapple with the current economic crisis as new graduates.

"I will say to our graduates, 'The world needs you. Believe in yourself; trust in your preparation; listen to your instincts, and never stop learning,'" he said.

Lavernia also said that he would have specific advice for the engineering students, whose skills he believes are still in great demand.

"There remains a serious need for engineers in our state and our nation, and despite our economic conditions, there is much to be done -- the world needs immediate technical answers," he said.

But overall, Lavernia remains optimistic for the future of all the students.

"During tough times, we don't exactly get what we want, but I expect our graduates will do well because of who they are and how they have been educated," he said.

About UC Davis

For 100 years, UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research and public service that matter to California and transform the world. Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has 31,000 students, an annual research budget that exceeds $500 million, a comprehensive health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges -- Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science -- and advanced degrees from five professional schools: Education, Law, Management, Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine. The UC Davis School of Medicine and UC Davis Medical Center are located on the Sacramento campus near downtown.