Ceremony

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Prior to the Ceremony

  • Make sure you have your cap, gown, hood and tassel.
  • Leave all personal belongings with your family or friends.

Arrive on Campus/Park Center

  • Arrive in the Park Center Corey Gymnasium at 6 p.m. with your GradPass. Guests should be directed to the Arena.
  • Check in with staff and receive your reader card. You will provide this card to the reader as you enter the stage. Please provide a phonetic pronunciation and your email address on the card.
  • Remain in the gymnasium and line up by degree. Signage will be posted for the Certificate of Advanced Studies, School of Education, School of Arts and Sciences and School of Professional Studies. All signs will have a breakdown of the programs.
  • Hooding Instructions will be provided.

Ceremony Processional (Entering the Ceremony)

  • At approximately 6:50 p.m., student line marshals will begin to lead the students to the Arena. The processional into the Arena begins promptly at 7 p.m. Students will follow the faculty into the Arena.  
  • The marshals will turn to face you and guide you into the rows of seating. Please follow all instructions given by the marshals. Programs will be available at your seats.
  • Please do not sit until directed by the administrator on stage. The platform party is the last group to enter the Arena.  

Ceremony 

  • All students will be conferred their degree by school.
  • Following the conferral, students will be escorted to the stage where their name will be read, along with their special person. International graduating students also will be acknowledged at this time. 
  • Two faculty members will hood each graduate when they first enter the stage.
  • Several photographs of each student will be taken on the stage, in addition to a final photograph taken of the student with their diploma cover on the "off ramp." Photography of all students is provided by GradImages. Images will be sent to students following the ceremony.
  • You will be then directed to your seat by student line marshals.

Recessional (Exiting the Ceremony)

  • At the conclusion of the ceremony, the platform party and faculty will first exit the Arena. Student line marshals will then escort the students out moving from the front of the Arena to the back of the Arena.  
  • You will be led out of the Arena using the cross-aisle in the middle of the Arena.  
  • Plan to meet your guests after the recessional in the gymnasium or a mutually agreed upon location. Do not break the line and head into the audience.
  • Please join the administration, faculty and staff for a reception immediately following the ceremony. All graduates and guests are invited to attend.

Graduate Commencement Reception 

A Graduate Commencement Reception will be held in Park Center, Corey Gymnasium immediately following the ceremony. All students, guests, faculty and staff are invited to attend this event.