CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) — There was barely a cloud in the sky over The Lawn at the University of Virginia as thousands of graduates made their way from the Rotunda to their seat for Final Exercises on Saturday.

3,225 bachelor’s degrees and 932 graduate degrees, including 705 master’s degrees, 12 education specialist degrees and 215 doctoral degrees, were awarded during Saturday’s commencement events, which began on The Lawn with the 197th Final Exercises that morning.

The graduates were from the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, the School of Education and Human Development and the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy.

This year’s graduates from the other nine schools will receive their degrees on Sunday.

As the graduates made their way down The Lawn in the Academic Possession, many carried all varieties of balloons, with some even keeping with them at their seats.

Graduates also posed for pictures, waved eagerly to family and made sure to take their seats next to friends. Even before the speakers had begun, tears were already shed.

All-in-all, 8,053 degrees will be awarded at Final Exercises this weekend. UVA had anticipated approximately 20,000 attendees on Saturday and 15,000 on Sunday, per a university spokesperson.

Following a welcome message from President Scott Beardsley, Rector of the Board of Visitors Carlos M. Brown gave brief remarks.

This year’s Final Exercises were personal to Brown, as it was not only his first since being voted Rector in February, but his daughter, Charity.

“Charity, I promised I wouldn’t embarrass you too much today, but I’m absolutely bursting with pride,” he said in his remarks, “as I know all of the parents who are here today have that same sense of pride.”

Vice President and Chief Student Affairs Officer Kenyon R. Bonner gave the Finals Address, referencing the “blueprints” of UVA founder and founding father Thomas Jefferson.

Bonner referenced both the physical blueprints of the buildings he erected at UVA as well as the blueprints of ideas that shaped the university and the United States. He encouraged the Class of 2026 to draft a blueprint for their lives with three key elements — resilience, a sense of duty and hope.

“Graduates, consider what’s in your life’s blueprint,” he said. “Take care of your business, take care of one another and most importantly, take care of yourself.”

Resilience in particular was a common theme throughout the event. Multiple speakers made reference to the 2022 on-campus shooting that resulted in the death of three UVA football players. Many of the members of the Class of 2026 were freshmen that year.

“This community uplifted and carried one another when grief made it difficult to stand alone,” Bonner said of that time. “Nothing fully prepares you for loss. But when it comes, and it will, you’re not suffering in silence. Ask for help. Lean on others.”

At one point, Beardsley mentioned the speech given by his predecessor, Jim Ryan, at valedictory exercises on Friday, which was met with applause. This weekend marks the first Final Exercises with Beardsley as President since he took over on Jan. 1.

While the circumstances around his appointment this year were mired in politics, Beardsley ended Saturday’s event by stressing the importance of finding common ground. He used the commonalities the graduates had with each other, sitting there together on The Lawn celebrating their accomplishments with friends and family, as an example.

“As you make your way, I urge you to remember this moment, and to seek shared ground,” he said.