UMKC alumnus and voice of the Washington Nationals Bob Carpenter (’75) will speak at the mid-year commencement celebration for the Class of 2022 at the T-Mobile Center.
The mid-year commencement will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18 at Kansas City’s downtown arena. There will be a single ceremony for all academic units. More than 1,000 graduates are expected to participate.
Carpenter earned his bachelor’s degree in Radio-TV-Film from UMKC in 1975 and has fashioned a successful 47-year career in broadcasting. He will be announcing his 40th season of major league baseball in 2023, his 18th for the Nationals. Carpenter has also announced baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, New York Mets and Minnesota Twins.
In 18 years with ESPN, he was a mainstay of their baseball, college basketball and football coverage. He announced seven NCAA basketball tournaments and the Final Four in 2005 for NCAA International. He hosted College Gameday and was one of ESPN’s primary soccer commentators for the 1982 and 1994 World Cups.
Bob and his wife of 43 years, Debbie, have raised more than a half-million dollars for charity in their hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Bob says his two best life decisions have been 1) marrying Debbie and 2) coming to UMKC sight-unseen in January of 1974.