It’s almost time for some students to harvest the fruit of their efforts at NIU.

On Saturday, this summer’s graduating students from the baccalaureate, master’s and doctorate levels will come together at one commencement ceremony to receive their degrees.

“We’ve never had an all-university ceremony in August before,” said Sue Doederlein, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “There will be one ceremony for the whole university, all levels of degrees and all colleges, except the law school. Everyone will participate in the ceremony, which is really very nice.”

The College of Law graduation is held in spring only.

This is the first time a summer graduation has been held at the Convocation Center.

Previously, the summer graduation ceremony was held at the Holmes Student Center’s Duke Ellington Ballroom, which couldn’t accommodate all the students in one ceremony, Doederlein said.

Last year, a ceremony was held separately for undergraduate and graduate school students.

Five hundred thirty-eight graduate students and about 400 undergraduates will receive their degrees this summer, said Suzanne Warber, assistant director of Registration and Records.

However, Doederlein expects about 450 students to participate in the ceremony.

The doctoral degrees will be awarded first, followed by the master’s and bachelor’s degrees.

“We have a greater percent of graduate degrees in the summer than the rest of the year,” she said. “People who have jobs come back and fulfill the rest of the requirements in summer.”

Brief remarks will be made by a representative of the Board of Trustees, the Alumni Association and the student body president, Doederlein said.