About 300 graduating seniors will be awarded their diplomas during Knox College's 173rd Commencement exercises at 10 a.m. Sunday, June 3, on the South Lawn of Old Main.

India's premier comedian and Knox alumnus Vir Das will deliver the Commencement address. Since graduating from Knox in 2002, Das has cemented himself as the biggest English-speaking comedian in India, as well as one of the country's top actors, writers, musicians, and festival producers. Thanks to his Netflix comedy special, Vir Das: Abroad Understanding, an upcoming comedy series on Hulu, and a co-starring role in the new ABC series Whiskey Cavalier, Das is poised to break into the American entertainment world with his unique brand of humor. 

Das will be one of three honorary degree recipients. The others are Mary Meg McCarthy, the executive director of Heartland Alliance's National Immigrant Justice Center; and Michael W. Young, American geneticist and 2017 Nobel Prize Winner.

You can find more details about Commencement at www.knox.edu/commencement.

Here are six other things to know about Commencement:

1. Celebration Saturday

Yes, the Commencement ceremony is on Sunday, but there also will be plenty of celebratory activities on Saturday for graduating seniors and their families and friends. For the full roundup, check online at www.knox.edu/commencement. The activities include Knox's first-in-many-years interfaith baccalaureate service, the Phi Beta Kappa induction ceremony, the "first generation" reception, the President's dessert reception, and an outdoor fireworks show.

2. Concert on the Lawn

Also on Saturday is the traditional (and free) Concert on the Lawn, featuring the Knox-Galesburg Symphony, led by longtime conductor and Knox Music Professor Bruce Polay. This will be the last Concert on the Lawn for Polay, who is retiring.

3. Look for Detours

As you drive to the Knox campus on Commencement weekend, please be aware of traffic detours caused by road construction and a Sunday morning community event, Run Galesburg Run. Check out our map showing the detours and places where you can park on campus.

4. Watch Online

If you can't attend Commencement in person, you can still watch your favorite graduate pick up a diploma and listen to Das' Commencement remarks. Watch the ceremony live, beginning at 10 a.m. Central Daylight Time on Sunday.

5. Picnic Lunch

Graduates and their families are invited to a picnic lunch on campus immediately after the Commencement ceremony. Tickets to the lunch should be purchased online in advance.

6. Share on Social

Share the highlights of a happy day—in other words, your Commencement photos, videos, and memories—with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Please use the hashtag #KnoxGrad. Some of the best posts will appear on Knox's social media channels.