A student signals to her family members after walking across the stage during a commencement ceremony for graduates from the College of Arts and Sciences on Saturday. (Photos by August Jennewein)

The University of Missouri–St. Louis campus community celebrated nearly 1,500 students spring graduates and more than 450 summer graduates earning degrees during six commencement ceremonies over the weekend. Graduates of the College of Optometry participated in a ceremony Friday afternoon at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center, and the university held five other ceremonies Saturday and Sunday at the Mark Twain Athletic Center.

UMSL campus photographer August Jennewein captured a few of the joyous scenes.

Music major Rebekah Anthonis sings the national anthem during a commencement ceremony for the College of Optometry on Friday at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center.

Dr. Sean P. Mulqueeny, the president of Mulqueeny Eye Centers and a clinical associate professor, delivers the commencement address during the commencement ceremony for the College of Optometry.

Students, including liberal studies major and men’s basketball player Jose Grubbs (second from right), line up before the 2 p.m. commencement ceremony for the College of Arts and Sciences.

Students lean together for a selfie before the 9 a.m. commencement ceremony for the College of Arts and Sciences.

Liberal studies major Mark Briguglio waits with his fellow graduates for the 2 p.m. commencement ceremony to begin. Briguglio earned his degree almost 50 years after he first started college.

Student marshal Aman Chishti leads graduates onto the floor of the Mark Twain Athletic Center during the 2 p.m. commencement for the College of Arts and Sciences on Saturday.

Students Madeleine James, Jing Qiao, Jordan Jenkins, Swabu Jefferson, Seth Ferrell and Sam Rinkenbaugh perform the national anthem at the start of the 9 a.m. ceremony.

Students were beaming from their seats as they spotted friends and family members in the stands during their commencement ceremonies.

Members of the Class of 1972 returned to campus to celebrate their golden reunion and were in attendance to honor new graduates during the 9 a.m. ceremony on Saturday.

Many students took time to decorate their caps, including this student, eager to begin the next phase of her life after earning her degree.

A student holds up a diploma after exiting the stage at the Mark Twain Athletic Center. The breakdown of bachelor’s degree candidates from the spring semester was 463 from the College of Arts and Sciences, 228 from the College of Business Administration, 111 from the College of Education, 101 from the College of Nursing, 26 from the School of Social Work, 38 from the College of Optometry and 31 from the UMSL/WUSTL Joint Undergraduate Engineering Program. There were 470 graduates across the different colleges who candidates for master’s degrees, and 457 total students were candidates to graduate in the summer semester.

Family members got into position to snap photos of their graduates as they walked across the stage at the Mark Twain Athletic Center.

A student received flowers from a family member and posed for a picture after leaving Saturday morning’s commencement ceremony.

Graduates gathered outside the Mark Twain Athletic Center after the ceremonies to take pictures with friends and family members.