phd graduation traditions

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Doctoral Hooding

How doctoral hooding works.

The hooding ceremony is a unique recognition of the achievement of each student who has earned a doctorate or final master’s degree.

Each doctoral candidate is introduced individually during the ceremony. You will have your hood placed on you in front of the stage on the field. Both doctoral candidates and their faculty mentors should review these guidelines before Commencement.

See an example of how the hooding works.

Faculty Mentors

Your faculty mentor will hood you as a doctoral candidate. If you do not have a mentor present, a Commencement marshal will hood you.

The Procession

• You and your peers will walk into Carroll Stadium and sit according to school. You will follow the red school banners through the hall to guide you to your seat.
• If you’re hooded by a mentor, please walk in and sit with them.
• While you are robing in the lineup, you’ll receive two name cards to fill out. Fill out the cards with your name, making sure it is legible. The cards are for announcing you during the ceremony. If you think the announcer may not know how to pronounce your name, include pronunciation help.
• You should have your hoods unfolded and draped over the left arm. Carry your name cards in your right hand.

Instructions for Hooding

• Once your school is announced, stand with the person who is hooding you and walk to the stage. A marshal will give you instructions for where and how to get to the stage.
• Your hooder will wait in front of the stage near a platform. Students without a hooder follow the direction of the marshals.
• You will climb several steps to the stage. Please contact us if you have any difficulty climbing stairs.
• You will give your name cards to the reader, and they will introduce you. You will then walk across the stage.
• Once you leave the stage, walk in front of the stage.
• Your faculty mentor or a marshal will hood you. For the hooding, you should remove your cap and face away from the hooder. Once you’re hooded, return to your seat.

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The History Behind ‘Pomp & Circumstance’ and 8 Other Graduation Traditions

By: Greg Daugherty

Updated: May 5, 2023 | Original: May 8, 2023

From the first strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” until the tossing of the mortarboards, graduation ceremonies involve a mash-up of traditions, some going back hundreds of years. Academic regalia has evolved through the centuries to reflect the status of both the schools and their latest crop of scholars.

Caps and Gowns

Graduation gowns evolved from the long clerics’ garments worn by medieval scholars as far back as the 12 th century, according to the American Council on Education’s guide to academic regalia . One theory maintains that they not only symbolized the scholars’ status but provided a way for them to keep warm in the drafty, unheated buildings where they toiled away at their studies.

Eventually, scholars shifted to more conventional dress, but they continued to bring gowns out on special occasions, such as graduation ceremonies.

In the 19 th century, a group of American colleges and universities attempted to standardize their gowns, giving special attention to the sleeves. Their “ Intercollegiate Code of Academic Costume ,” published in 1895, prescribed pointed long sleeves for bachelor’s degree recipients, long closed sleeves for master’s degrees and round open sleeves for doctor’s degrees. All gowns were to be black, period.

Caps , meanwhile, originated as long hoods (another way for those early scholars to stay toasty) before evolving into skull caps and ultimately into square, flat mortarboards, sometime in the 1700s. Hoods remained part of the costume, but now hung down the wearer’s back rather than sitting atop their heads.

The 1895 code called for caps to be black, as well, adding that, “Each cap shall be ornamented with a long tassel attached to the middle point at the top.” By some accounts, before tassels became standard equipment, mortar boards were often topped by pom-poms.

Ceremonial Maces

Another graduation tradition that goes back at least to the Middle Ages is the ceremonial mace, a heavy and elaborately decorated pole typically toted by a high-ranking official, such as a college president or chancellor. Meant as a symbol of the school’s authority, it was inspired by the maces medieval knights used to clobber one another.

‘Pomp and Circumstance’

The instantly recognizable tune, played during the processional march as graduates arrive to collect their degrees, was composed in 1901 and originally performed in 1902 to honor the coronation of King Edward VII of Great Britain.

It made its U.S. graduation debut in 1905, when Yale bestowed an honorary degree on the song’s composer, Edward Elgar—and quickly spread to other schools.

Decorated Mortarboards

Mortarboard tops decorated with special messages like “Thanks, Mom and Dad!” or “Hire Me!” or even with elaborate sculptures have become a common sight at today’s graduations. While those 1895 rule makers would doubtless be horrified, many universities today encourage the practice and even provide art supplies. As college traditions go, this seems to be a relatively new one. According to Sheila Bock, an associate professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who is doing a study on mortarboard decorating, “The earliest examples I have found were in the 1960s and were associated with protests against the Vietnam War.”

Celebrity Commencement Speakers

What would a commencement ceremony be without some uplifting words of wisdom from a celebrated author, Nobel prize-winning scientist or famous talk show host?

Early commencement speeches came from the “commencers” themselves, demonstrations of the oratory and language skills they acquired during their studies. (Etymologists generally believe the word “commencement” as a synonym for graduation refers to the fact that graduates have become prepared to commence their careers.)

Over time, the speech-giving task shifted from students to school bigwigs and then prominent outside dignitaries. Generals and statesmen were once popular choices, often delivering serious speeches on weighty matters. The U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall used his 1947 commencement address at Harvard to unveil what came to be known as the Marshall Plan for rebuilding post-World War II Europe.

Bringing in a broader range of celebrities to address the graduates appears to have originated largely in the 20 th century. Schools have been limited only by their imaginations, budgets and willingness to bestow honorary degrees. Recent speakers range from Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson (Boston University, 2023) and actor Tom Hanks (Harvard, 2023) to tennis commentator John McEnroe (Stanford University, 2023) and pop star Taylor Swift (New York University, 2022).

Though colleges have been awarding degrees for centuries, they didn’t start handing out diplomas as evidence of those degrees until much later. The first Harvard diploma, for example, dates to 1813— some 170 years after the college’s initial graduation ceremony. Because early diplomas were often printed on parchment made from animal hide, “sheepskin” became popular slang for one. High school diplomas appear to date back to at least the mid-1800s.

Honorary Degrees

Honorary degrees go back to at least the 15 th century in England, according to Oxford University archives . The first prominent U.S. example seems to have been Harvard’s bestowing of an honorary master of arts on Benjamin Franklin in 1753. Franklin later received honorary doctorates in England and Scotland and took to calling himself “Doctor Franklin.” Untold numbers of honorary degrees have been awarded in the years since, some of which were later rescinded due to bad behavior.

Among the more inspired honorary degree titles granted over the decades: ventriloquist dummy Charlie McCarthy ("master of innuendo and snappy comebacks," Northwestern, 1938), Borden mascot Elsie the Cow ("doctor of bovinity," Ohio State, 1948) and Kermit the Frog ("doctor of amphibious letters," the former Southampton College, 1999). Kermit also gave the commencement address.

Tassel Switching From Right to Left

Switching the tassel on the mortarboard from the right side to the left upon graduation had established itself as a tradition by 1909 in the U.S., according to the Intercollegiate Registry of Academic Costume. Even so, not all arbiters of academic style agreed. A 1935 attempt to further standardize the dress code sniffed that, “To move the tassel so that it will hang over the left side of the cap as a feature of the conferment of the Bachelor’s degree has no warrant in precedent or common sense.” The tassel, the new code maintained, “may lie in any direction with equal meaning, since a passing breeze will determine its position at any time.”

Tossing Hats in the Air

The 1935 code fought another losing battle in insisting that graduates keep their caps on “throughout all academic exercises except during prayer. In particular, the cap is not to be removed at any point in the conferment of a degree.”

Decades earlier, the United States Naval Academy’s graduating class of 1912 had already blown that requirement out of the water. Having now earned the right to wear officer hats, the new grads spontaneously tossed their midshipman hats into the air. The Navy’s hat toss soon spread to other colleges, universities and high schools, and even to the British Isles—a rare example of a graduation tradition crossing the Atlantic from the New World to the Old.  

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Ph.D. Hooding Ceremony

Hooding ceremonies for 2023-2024 ph.d. graduates.

The Graduate School will hold two hooding ceremonies for 2023-2024 Ph.D. graduates at  Duke Chapel  (401 Chapel Drive) on May 11, 2024:

May 11, 10:00-11:30 a.m.

Ph.D. Hooding Ceremony for Graduates in the Humanities and Social Sciences

May 11, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Ph.D. Hooding Ceremony for Graduates in the Biomedical and Biomedical Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Engineering

Find which academic division your department or program belongs to . 

Google Map of parking lots, accessibility locations, and facilities for the ceremony

If you have questions about the hooding ceremony, please contact [email protected] . We thank you for your patience while event details are forthcoming.

2024 Event Information

• Graduates and guests may park in the Bryan Center Garage/PGIV (125 Science Drive) or the Science Drive Garage (3100 Cameron Blvd). The Bryan Center Garage is a four-minute walk from the Chapel, while the Science Drive Garage is a 15-minute walk away.
• Faculty and staff participating in the Ph.D. Hooding Ceremony may park in the Upper or Lower Allen lots, located on West Campus behind the Allen Building.
• Attendees may also park at any other convenient locations on campus. On-campus parking during commencement weekend will be free of charge.
• ADA parking is available in the parking lot immediately in front of the Bryan Center garage. If you have requested specific accommodations, our staff will be in touch with you directly.
• General parking on campus is on a first-come basis, so please allow plenty of time for parking throughout commencement weekend. Carpooling is highly recommended.
• The circle in front of Duke Chapel, on Chapel Drive, will not be accessible on May 7. If you need to drop off guests with mobility impairments, please use the circle off of Science Drive.
• Visit maps.duke.edu  for an interactive campus map.

See all event locations on a Google Map

Electronic tickets will be distributed ahead of the Hooding Ceremony.

• No food or drinks are permitted in Duke Chapel.
• The accessible entrance to the Chapel is located on the north side of the Chapel facing the Divinity School ( map ).
• There are no restrooms in Duke Chapel. The closest (ADA) restrooms are in the Divinity School, which will be clearly marked with directional signs ( map ).

If you are a doctoral degree candidate and you wish to  rent  apparel, complete this form to register for the university-wide commencement ceremony and order academic regalia. R ented apparel must be requested by March 1, 2024.

If you are interested in  purchasing  apparel, you may  click here .  The deadline to purchase doctoral apparel is February 16, 2024 and can be done by contacting Jeffrey Kahlmeyer in Duke Stores at 919-684-0060.

Apparel Pickup

Hooding how-to.

See our " Recipe for the Perfect PhD Hooding " video for quick tips and common mishaps to avoid.

The 2024 seating chart will be posted in May 2024.

Procedure for Hooding

Faculty: Join the line next to the first graduate your are hooding.

Graduates should stand on the left and faculty on the right.  

• Graduates should clearly pronounce their names to the Graduate School staff member standing by the front steps so that they can be relayed to the senior associate dean announcing the graduates.  

The hooding faculty will stand at the top of the steps and the graduate will stand on the next step. There will be a piece of tape on the steps to mark where they should stand.

Once a graduate has received their hood, Dean Barbour will greet them with a congratulatory fist bump.  

• Graduates should then return to their seats. Faculty who have finished hooding all their graduates should sit in the North Transept pews (on the opposite side of where they sat at the start of the ceremony).

The hooding ceremonies will be livestreamed for family, friends, and faculty who cannot attend in person. The livestream links will be posted closer to the event date. 

10:00 am Ceremony (Humanities and Social Sciences)

1:30 pm ceremony (biological & biomedical sciences, physical sciences, and engineering).

• ADA parking is available in the parking lot immediately in front of the Bryan Center garage. If you have requested specific accommodations, a member of the planning team in Graduate Student Affairs will be in touch with you directly in early May.
• If you need to drop off guests with mobility impairments, please use the circle off of Science Drive.
• The closest restrooms (in the Divinity School) are ADA-compliant.
• There will be assistive listening devices available at the sound board in the back left of the nave in the Chapel.

2022–2023 Dissertations

View the full list of Ph.D. dissertations, departments, and advisers for 2022–2023 graduates.  

Hooding Basics

The hooding ceremony is similar to a graduation in that faculty and students are dressed in  academic attire . During the ceremony, the name of each graduate is called, and the graduate goes on stage with his or her faculty adviser(s). The adviser places the doctoral hood over the head of the graduate, signifying his or her success in completing the graduate program, and the dean of The Graduate School then congratulates the graduate.

Each doctoral candidate is asked to invite a Duke faculty member to perform the hooding. The faculty member may be the candidate’s adviser or another faculty member of the candidate’s choice. If a faculty member is not available, the dean will perform the hooding.

• One-Person Hooding Illustration (PDF)
• Two-Person Hooding Illustration (PDF)

Proper Hooding Techniques (and Bloopers)

Past ph.d. graduation celebrations.

• 2022 recap, photos, and videos
• Ceremony for 2019-20 and 2020-21 graduates recap, photos, and videos
• 2021 recap, photos, and videos
• 2019 recap, photos, and video
• 2018 recap, photos, and video
• 2017 recap, photos, and video
• 2016 recap and photos
• 2015 recap, photos, and video

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• ConnectCarolina
• Information for:
• Prospective students
• Current students
• Faculty and staff
• Alumni and friends

2024 Doctoral Hooding Ceremony

Saturday, May 11, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. Dean E. Smith Center

• Hooding Ceremony Speaker

Student Instructions

• Scholarships & Financial Aid
• Regalia Purchase

Photography

Faculty instructions.

• Accessibility Services, Seating & Parking

Parking Information

Guest information, frequently asked questions.

• Livestream broadcast

Additional Resources

Letter from the dean.

Graduate students represent the crossroads of research and impact. You have the knowledge to help solve society’s greatest challenges and serve the future of our state in the workforce and beyond. Our doctoral hooding ceremony will recognize these accomplishments. The ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 11, 2024, at the Dean E. Smith Center. We welcome family members, friends, and anyone else you would like to invite.

Each doctoral graduate student who participates in the ceremony will be called to the stage to have the hood of the commencement regalia conferred by their advisor or other departmental faculty member.

Please review the rest of our website for answers to frequently asked questions and other important information you will need to know about participating in the ceremony. Graduate students are also encouraged to attend the University-wide Commencement ceremony , to be held on Saturday, May 11 at 7:00 p.m.

Our graduate students provide countless hours of teaching, research, and service to our University, all while balancing your mental health and well-being, responsibilities, and personal endeavors.

As you reach this pinnacle in your graduate journey, know that our University, our state, and our world are enriched because of you. We are honored to gather and celebrate together.

Beth Mayer-Davis Dean of The Graduate School

Hooding Ceremony Program

Hooding ceremony speaker: dr. angeli achrekar.

Prior to joining UNAIDS in January 2023, Dr. Achrekar served as the Principal Deputy U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator for the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Over the past 20 years with the U.S. government and PEPFAR, she has held prominent positions helping to lead the largest global health effort of the U.S. government to ensure life-saving HIV prevention and treatment services to millions of people around the globe and strengthen health and community systems across 50 countries.

She is a passionate public servant, dedicated to advancing global health and development, across sectors, especially for women and girls. Angeli brings to the position extensive leadership and management experience in HIV/AIDS and public health. Over the years, she has helped evolve the program for more person-centered care, protecting and increasing HIV/AIDS gains while also capacitating countries for broader healthcare delivery. Her deep program, policy and partnership development experience at the global and country levels has cultivated strong multi-sectoral partnerships for large-scale and transformational impact, fundamental to ending the AIDS pandemic.

She holds a Doctorate of Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Master of Public Health from Yale University, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Angeli is married and the mother of beloved twin daughters. She loves poetry and nature. An unrelenting champion for health and rights for all, she believes in the power of service and partnership for change.

All May 2024 doctoral candidates, as well as 2023 August and December graduates, will receive an email invitation to the hooding ceremony in mid- to late February 2024. This email will be sent to your UNC-Chapel Hill email address (and/or personal email address) on record. August and December graduates should make sure to have an updated personal email address listed with the Office of the University Registrar through ConnectCarolina or [email protected] .

Please check all of your inboxes and folders in case the invitation is inadvertently directed to junk/spam folders. Please RSVP through the event registration system by March 31, 2024, with the name and email address of your hooding faculty.

If you have not received the invitation by March 15, 2024, please contact Kate McAnulty ( [email protected] ), senior associate dean for student affairs.

Please note, if you do not successfully complete all your degree requirements to have your degree conferred at the ceremony, you will not be allowed to participate in the hooding ceremony. No exceptions will be made.

Hooding Faculty Selection

Each doctoral graduate student will have the hood of the commencement regalia conferred by their adviser or other departmental faculty member. Please inquire as early as possible with your adviser whether they will attend the ceremony with you. If you have two faculty advisers, both can attend and hood you jointly.

If your faculty adviser is unavailable to attend the ceremony and confer your hood, you can request that another faculty member (preferably from your dissertation committee), your director of graduate studies, or your department chair confer your hood instead. The faculty member who confers your hood must be listed with The Graduate School as regular or fixed-term faculty.

If none of your faculty are available to confer your hood, the provost and the Royster Distinguished Professor will do so.

Please make sure that you and your hooding faculty have a clear plan of where to meet the morning of the ceremony. Given the heavy crowds as well as noise and visibility issues, we recommend a meeting location away from or even outside the entrance and check-in areas.

Day-of-Ceremony Instructions

Scholarships and Financial Aid

If you have borrowed a Federal Loan while attending Carolina, you must complete the Exit Counseling to learn about loan repayment. The Office of Scholarships and Student Aid will also notify you of this requirement via email.

If you have borrowed a Federal Perkins or Health Professions Loan or any long-term university loan, you must complete exit counseling by accessing the ECSI website . You may contact the University Cashier at [email protected] with any questions.

Student Regalia: Information and Deadlines

Student basic/keepsake black regalia will be available to purchase through Student Stores online beginning in early/mid-March, in-store (starting Thursday, March 21st through commencement weekend), and at the conGRADulations Fair on Wednesday, March 20th. These regalia are meant to be a cost-effective and eco-friendly option for graduating students (prices listed below). Please make sure to indicate whether you are a Ph.D., Ed.D., DNP, or DrPH student so that you can request the proper hood for purchase.

• Doctoral BASIC Package (Square Cap, Gown, Tassel) - $65.99 ($60.99 if purchasing with Tam [6-corner cap])
• Doctoral Hood - $39.99
• Doctoral Tam (6-corner cap) - $80 ($75 if purchasing with Basic Package)
• Individual Square Cap - $12.99
• Individual Tassel - $9.99

Announcements

Custom commencement announcements can be purchased through Balfour .

Generic announcements in packages of 10 may be purchased at Student Stores.

Every student who RSVPs through the event registration system will receive outreach from GradImages™ in advance of the ceremony. Please check all of your inboxes and folders in case the outreach is inadvertently directed to junk/spam folders.

• At the beginning of August, your diploma will be mailed to your home address as listed in ConnectCarolina.
• Your diploma will be printed with the diploma name as listed on your ConnectCarolina account.
• If you need immediate proof of graduation, you may download an electronic diploma (for a fee of $10.95) beginning mid-June 2024.
• If you require special handling (summer pick-up, FedEx, international delivery) for your diploma, please contact the Office of the University Registrar by May 10, 2024.
• More information on diplomas is available from the Office of the University Registrar .

If your department has a separate ceremony, check with your department to determine whether or not they intend to distribute diplomas at their ceremony. Diploma frames can be purchased at Student Stores .

Faculty rental regalia is currently available for ordering through Oak Hall via Student Stores . The site will remain open through Wednesday, April 3rd, and the regalia will be available for pickup at UNC Student Stores starting the Monday of commencement week (May 6th). Payment is due at time of pickup, and the return deadline to have your items back in-store is Friday, May 17th.

For additional questions, contact the Student Stores graduation department at  [email protected] .

Non-hooding faculty are invited to attend as a member of the general audience and will not participate in the academic processional. Seating will be reserved for faculty in Section 124.

Hooding Faculty

Hooding faculty should arrive at the Smith Center concourse level (Entrance D) to meet their students between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m. You do not need to check in. Additional information will be provided by the Graduate School or by the degree candidate.

Please make sure that you and your students have each other's contact information so that you can coordinate where to meet the morning of the ceremony. Given the heavy crowds as well as noise and visibility issues, we recommend a meeting location away from or even outside the entrance and check-in areas.

Your student(s) will receive a name card at check-in which will later be scanned by a staff member prior to them going on stage. Please help us make sure that your student(s) does not lose that card over the course of the morning's activities.

As soon as you connect with your student, please proceed to the first floor (lower level) and take a seat with them. If you are hooding more than one student, make sure you are all sitting together.

At the end of the ceremony after the platform party recesses, students and faculty will be free to exit the floor and connect with family and friends. There is no recessional for students and hooding faculty.

Due to the timing of afternoon events in the Smith Center, staff will direct everyone off the floor and into the stands as soon as the ceremony is over.

Accessibility Services, Seating and Parking

Services for students, faculty, and guests with disabilities or medical conditions are available.

Accessible parking for guests is available in the Williamson Lot across the street from the Smith Center by presenting a disability permit/placard or license plate. The lot will be clearly marked with the appropriate signage. Golf carts will pick up guests needing assistance from the lot and drop them at Gate A.

Accessible seating is located all along the concourse level in the Smith Center. No ticket is required for seating. If you require other accommodations (interpreter services, more specialized seating, etc.) or if you do not have a disability permit/placard or license plate, please contact Commencement Accessibility Services at [email protected] .

Students and faculty who have accessibility needs should contact Commencement Accessibility Services ( [email protected]) who will work with staff from The Graduate School and the Office of University Events accordingly to navigate ceremony details.

Students do not have designated parking, so all guest parking lots (see below) can be used by students.

Reserved parking for faculty and deans will be available either in the Smith Center Lot, behind the Koury Natatorium and the Smith Center, or in the top tier of the Manning Lot. If parking in the Smith Center lot, upon arrival, please pull up to the parking gate and advise the parking attendant of your name to gain complimentary access to the Smith Center lot.

Reserved parking for members of the platform party will be in the Smith Center Lot, behind the Koury Natatorium and the Smith Center.

Parking for guests will be available in most lots surrounding the Smith Center ( map of these parking lots ). They include: the Manning Lot (on Bowles Drive between the Smith Center and Family Practice), the Bowles Lot (on Bowles Drive behind Craige Residence Hall), and the Business School Deck.

Accessible parking is available in the Williamson Lot across the street from the Smith Center by presenting a disability permit/placard or license plate. Guests needing parking accommodations for the elderly and not having a disability permit, plate, or placard should contact Commencement Accessibility Services at [email protected] .

Guests should arrive between 8:00 and 8:45 a.m. and enter the Smith Center at Entrance A. Please do not bring gifts into the Smith Center.

No refreshments will be available at the ceremony. Please bring water and stay hydrated, especially if it is hot outside that morning.

International Guests

Students and scholars who want to invite family members to visit the United States as tourists may use the information below to assist those family members in applying for a visa.

• View this document to learn how you can invite family members to the U.S. for your commencement ceremony.
• Request a graduation application confirmation letter from the Office of the University Registrar . Please email [email protected] requesting a letter of confirmation for graduation for your family’s visa.

Local Visitors Bureaus

The Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau and the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau websites provide information on local lodging, restaurants, scheduled events, shopping, tours, and area resources.

Dean E. Smith Center Entry Policy

All guests and their belongings are subject to screening by entry personnel.

Clear Bag Policy

Guests are encouraged to leave all bags at home, but the following items will be allowed into Commencement venues:

• Any clear plastic or vinyl bag no larger than 12″ x 6″ x 12″, including gallon freezer bags.
• Small clutch purses no larger than 4.5″ x 6.5″.
• Necessary medical items following inspection at entry gates.
• Up to two unopened 20 ounce or smaller bottles of water per person and empty drink containers that can be filled up at drinking fountains.
• More Information: Carolina Athletics Clear Bag Policy

Prohibited Items

Alcoholic beverages, artificial noise makers, baby seats, large bags, balloons, banners, flags and signs (larger than 8 ½" x 11"), signs on sticks or other devices, beach balls, coolers or containers, explosives, fireworks, folding chairs, food and beverages (except sealed plastic water bottles), illegal drugs, laser pointers, pets (except service animals), strollers (non-collapsible), umbrellas, weapons of any kind, any other item that in the judgment of management staff poses a safety hazard or detracts from the ability of others to enjoy the event.

All permissible bags and containers are subject to search upon entry.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation with these safety measures.

Directions to the Dean E. Smith Center

Address:  300 Skipper Bowles Drive, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514

From Virginia and points north

Take I-85 South to Durham. Exit left at US 15-501 in Durham and follow 15-501 approximately nine miles to Chapel Hill. Once in Chapel Hill, stay on US 15-501 Bypass (Fordham Boulevard). At around the seventh stoplight, turn right onto Manning Drive. The Smith Center is half a mile on the left on Skipper Bowles Drive.

From points west

Take I-85 North towards Durham. Exit just past Burlington onto NC 54 East (Exit #148, Chapel Hill Exit). Follow NC 54 for approximately 20 miles to Carrboro. Pass Carrboro Plaza on the right and stay on NC 54 for about four miles to the next stoplight, Manning Drive. Turn left on Manning Drive. The Smith Center is half a mile on the left on Skipper Bowles Drive.

From points east

Take I-40 West toward Chapel Hill. Exit at NC 54 West (Exit #273 A) and follow for approximately four miles. Once in Chapel Hill, continue to follow signs for NC 54 West, which means you will have to exit right under the first overpass. At the top of the exit turn right at the light. Follow NC 54 West/15-501 South until the second stoplight. Turn right onto Manning Drive. The Smith Center is half a mile on the left on Skipper Bowles Drive.

From points south

Take US 15-50 North toward Chapel Hill. Exit right onto US 15-501 Bypass in Chapel Hill. Turn left at first stoplight onto Manning Drive. The Smith Center is half a mile on the left on Skipper Bowles Drive.

Will the ceremony be livestreamed?

Yes, the the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony will be livestreamed.

What time do graduates need to arrive?

Students and their faculty advisors should arrive starting at 8:00 and no later than 8:30 a.m. in full regalia. Students will need to pick up and hold on to their name cards, which will be scanned before they cross the stage, so that their names show up on the screen(s) overhead.

Are tickets required for guests?

No tickets are necessary and there is no restriction on the number of guests invited per graduate.

When should guests arrive?

Guests should arrive between 8:00 and 8:45 a.m. and enter the Smith Center at Entrance A where programs will be available. Please do not bring gifts into the Smith Center.

How long does the ceremony usually last?

The ceremony will last no later than noon.

Will the names of graduates be announced?

Yes. Each doctoral graduate student who participates in the ceremony will be called to the stage to have the hood of the commencement regalia conferred by their adviser or other departmental faculty member.

Who can hood graduates?

Students should be hooded by their faculty adviser(s). If their faculty adviser(s) are unavailable, they can be hooded by another member of their committee and/or their program/department, such as their director of graduate studies or department chair. Students without available faculty will be hooded by the provost and the Royster Distinguished Professor. Students cannot be hooded by a non-faculty member, such as family, friends, or colleagues.

Can students be hooded during this ceremony but not officially graduate until later this year?

No. Only candidates who have met all degree requirements for this ceremony (and August and December graduates from the  previous  calendar year) will be hooded at this ceremony. If you officially graduate in a future semester, you will be invited to the following year's ceremony.

Where do students, faculty, and guests park?

Hooding Ceremony parking information

UNC Visitor Parking Information and Maps

Reserved parking for faculty and deans will be in the top tier of the Manning Lot.

Accessible parking is available in the Williamson Lot across the street from the Smith Center by presenting a disability permit/placard or license plate.

Is there accessible parking?

Accessible parking is available in the Williamson Lot across the street from the Smith Center by presenting a disability permit/placard or license plate. Guests who need accessible parking but not having a disability permit, plate, or placard should contact Commencement Accessibility Services at [email protected] .

How do students find out if and when departments are having ceremonies?

Please visit school and departmental ceremonies.

Is there housing on campus for commencement weekend?

No. Housing is not available on campus for parents and guests. A list of hotels in the area is available on the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau and the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau websites.

How will I receive my diploma?

At the end of June, your diploma will be mailed to your home address as listed in ConnectCarolina. If your department has a separate ceremony, check with your department to determine whether or not they intend to distribute diplomas at their ceremony. Diploma frames can be purchased at Student Stores . Diplomas will not be available for pick-up.

The Doctoral Hooding Ceremony will be livestreamed.

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THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

• Academic Policies & Procedures

Commencement & TGS Hooding Ceremony

Please see below for important dates and information regarding the 2024 Commencement and the TGS hooding ceremony. We will continue to update this webpage as details become available.

2024 University Commencement

Commencement is open to all Northwestern graduates. It is a University-wide ceremony where graduates are commemorated as a whole. During the ceremony, students, faculty, and guest speakers address graduates and their families.

The 2024 Commencement ceremony will take place on  Sunday, June 9, 2024 at 10:30 AM at  United Center ( 1901 W Madison St, Chicago, IL 60612 ) .  Please refer to the University Graduation website  for details.

In addition to the University Commencement ceremony, each Northwestern school and The Family Institute host a ceremony or ceremonies for graduates.

Students who wish to participate in the University Commencement, a school ceremony, or both should pay careful attention to all deadline announcements as they are made closer to the ceremonies.  Please direct any questions regarding Commencement to the Office of Graduation and Senior Year Experiences (GSYE) .

  TGS PhD and MFA Hooding Ceremony  The Graduate School will host an in-person PhD and MFA hooding ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024 at 2:00 PM  in Ryan Fieldhouse (2333 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208)  on the north end of the Evanston campus to the east of Lincoln Street and Sheridan Road.  (Please note that this is the indoor practice football field — not the Ryan Field  football stadium on Central Street).  This annual ceremony formally recognizes participating PhD and MFA graduates of TGS programs that are in partnership with the following schools: The Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences The Kellogg School of Management The School of Communication The Feinberg School of Medicine The Graduate School Interdisciplinary Programs 2023–24 PhD and MFA graduates—Summer (September) 2023 through Spring (June) 2024—are invited to attend this year's hooding ceremony.  In order to participate in the 2024 PhD and MFA Hooding Ceremony, your PhD or MFA must be conferred in September 2023, December 2023, March 2024, or June 2024. Please note that Summer (August) 2024 graduates are not eligible to participate in this year’s hooding ceremony. If you will graduate in August 2024, you will be invited to participate in the 2024–25 PhD and MFA Hooding Ceremony, which will be held in June 2025.    Partner School PhD Ceremonies PhD students who graduate from TGS programs that are in partnership with the School of Education and Social Policy (SESP), the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music are invited to participate in the respective partner school's ceremony instead of The Graduate School's ceremony. Please contact your school representative below for additional details about convocation ceremonies for these partner schools: Bienen School of Music : Linda Jacobs –  [email protected] McCormick School of Engineering :  [email protected] School of Education and Social Policy :  [email protected] Partner School MA, MS, and MPH Ceremonies TGS Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MS), and Master of Public Health (MPH) graduates should check with their departments or school convocation contact regarding eligibility and participation in any partner school ceremonies.  The Family Institute Ceremonies Graduates from the Master of Arts in Counseling and Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy should email  Kristen Catuara, Assistant Director for Administration at The Family Institute , at   [email protected]  with any questions about their ceremony.   Last Updated:  April 22, 2024

Doctor of Philosophy Hooding and Graduation Ceremony

Matthews Arena

Monday, April 29, 2024 3:00 p.m. ET

ON THIS PAGE:

Monday, April 29, 2024

Graduate Arrival (Gainsborough Garage) – 1:30 p.m. Advisor Arrival (Matthews Lot) – 2:15 p.m. Guest Doors Open – 2:00 p.m. Ceremony Start time – 3:00 p.m.

Matthews Arena, 238-262 St Botolph St, Boston, MA 02115 Rain or shine

Duration: Each ceremony will last 90-120 minutes.

The ceremony will be livestreamed for all who are unable to attend. Details will be on the commencement website on the day of the ceremony.

Eligibility

All Doctor of Philosophy candidates who complete their degree requirements by August 2023, December 2023, or May 2024 are eligible to attend the Doctor of Philosophy hooding & graduation ceremony.

Each graduate can claim up to 6 guest tickets.

Students should receive instructions to claim tickets in their Northeastern email address early February.

To go back to your guest tickets, follow these instructions: – Log in to http://northeastern.marchingorder.com/ using your Northeastern email address. – Click “Print/Email Tickets”. You have the option to either print each ticket or email your tickets to your guests.

Extra tickets are not available at this time. If additional tickets are needed after registrations are open, please email [email protected] .

Children 2 years or younger who are able to sit on an adult’s lap for the duration of the ceremony do not need a ticket. Please note that strollers are prohibited. Children older than 2 years must have a ticket. 

After your initial ticket registration, you can log back into the ticketing webpage to and access the remainder of your tickets until the day of the ceremony.

Looking for more info on preparing for your graduation ceremony?

Find out everything you need to do (including applying to graduate) in the months, weeks, and days leading up to graduation—and tips for the day itself.

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Graduate School

Milestone events & traditions.

Graduate Milestone Events  

The Graduate School celebrates the accomplishments of its graduate student community through various events. Whether it's our pinning ceremony at Orientation, our Graduate Recognition and Hooding Ceremony, our White Coat Ceremony, or Howard's Homecoming celebration, each event marks the achieved milestones and accomplishments of our graduate students and alumni. Below are a few of the events that celebrate accomplishment and community at Howard. 

Graduate School Annual Recognition & Hooding Ceremony 

The Graduate School’s Annual Recognition and Hooding Ceremony is a rite of passage and the final milestone for master's and doctoral degree candidates who have met the requirements to receive their respective graduate degrees. During the Recognition and Hooding Ceremony, each candidate is recognized by their department as they walk across the stage.  As part of the event, deans, department chairs, and guest speakers honor students' achievements and dedication to research. The milestone event features the Doctoral Walk, a ceremonial procession of doctoral candidates led by African drummers as a tribute to the African ancestors on whose shoulders they stand. Candidates carry their hoods to demonstrate their continued pursuit of knowledge.

White Coat Ceremony 

The Graduate School’s White Coat Ceremony is an annual tradition marking the entry of an incoming class of Speech-Language Pathology graduate students into the Communication, Sciences, and Disorders department within the Graduate School and into their clinical and research experiences. This rite of passage for beginning students honors their commitment to pursue careers reflective of empathy, compassion, and care. During the ceremony, Howard Graduate School deans and faculty members recognize students as they don their first white coats. The White Coat symbolizes the oath of commitment students take to dutifully serve and care for their patients. During the ceremony, students are offered an inspiring charge and recite an oath to service, as a firm commitment to care for their patients with integrity. 

Bouchet Graduate Honor Society Induction Ceremony 

Named for the first African American doctoral recipient in the United States (Yale, Physics, 1876), the Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society (BGHS) promotes diversity and excellence in doctoral education. The Society seeks to develop a network of scholars who exemplify academic and personal excellence and serve as examples of scholarship, leadership, character, service, and advocacy for those who have been traditionally underrepresented in the academy. Each April, a group of nominated Bouchet Scholars is inducted into the Bouchet Honor Society at the Annual Yale Bouchet Conference typically held in New Haven, CT. This annual conference is also a great opportunity for BGHS members to present their research in an interdisciplinary setting.

Graduate School Pinning Ceremony

The Pinning Ceremony is a symbolic welcoming of incoming students into the Graduate School community. New students are presented with official Howard pins by Graduate School faculty and staff. For many students and alum, the pin holds the symbolic value of community and belonging. In the Spring 2021 Issue of Howard Magazine , Dana Williams-Johnson, a Ph.D. student in the Communications Culture and Media Studies program at the Graduate School remembers the first time she received a Howard pin as an incoming college freshman and recounts returning to Howard as an instructor and receiving the pin during new faculty orientation: " The orientation leader passed pins out and welcomed us all as new faculty to Howard University. I kept swirling that pin around in my palm, feeling all the things I felt back in 1996. I was a Bison. I was home.”

A Month Dedicated to Research 

Howard dedicates an entire month to research. Research Month is part of Howard’s ongoing efforts to advance the university’s research mission and celebrate its distinguished research enterprise. The month showcases the breadth and depth of research innovation and creativity being conducted by Howard's faculty, students, and research staff across all disciplines. The month’s activities range from guest speakers and workshops to a research symposium that expands multidisciplinary collaboration opportunities. The Research Symposium, held in April, brings together Howard's students, faculty, and staff to discuss their research work and findings, supporters from various federal and local agencies, and members of the higher education community.

Howard Homecoming  

Howard's Homecoming Celebration welcomes students, alumni, staff, and friends to its campus for several key Homecoming events including the Homecoming football game and Bison Pep Rally, the Fashion Show, Greek Life Step Show, Homecoming Day of Service, Yard Fest, and the Lavender Reception. It is a celebration of fellowship that brings together alumni and current students to celebrate community at Howard. Talk to any Howard alum and they'll tell you about the surreal experience of arriving at Howard’s campus and seeing the University’s marching band, its legendary brassy renditions of the latest musical hits and choreography, and the iconic Yard Fest which draws large crowds from across the country or about being stunned by an enveloping sense of community and many examples of Black excellence all around them.

Commencement

Find information about Commencement, including tips for students and their guests, the schedule, ordering tickets and regalia, and more.

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Commencement is the culmination of all your efforts to earn a graduate degree, and it will take place on Thursday, May 23, 2024 . Commencement week provides multiple opportunities for celebration, including a Dean’s Reception, the University-wide Morning Exercises, the Diploma Awarding Ceremonies, and the Champagne Reception and Luncheon.

Are you participating in Commencement this May 2024? Here’s what you need to know:

• Questions about Commencement-related events and activities? Please check the Commencement Events page for more information. 
• Questions about how to retrieve your tickets after they are ordered? Please check the Commencement Tickets page for more information.  
• Academic Regalia (Ordering Now Closed): Academic regalia is required for Commencement activities. Online ordering for renting or purchasing regalia is closed. Please read the Academic Regalia carefully for details on how to secure your regalia.
• Picking Up Your Tickets: The tickets you ordered through registration will be available for pickup between May 17 and May 22 in the Graduate Student Lounge located in the Student Center at Harvard Griffin GSAS in Lehman Hall. Your tickets are also available for pickup on Commencement morning, Thursday, May 23, as early as 6:15 a.m. at the Harvard Griffin GSAS Info Tent located at 33 Oxford Street in front of Maxwell Dworkin. If you did not register and order tickets online, you will not have a ticket packet to pick up. All tickets must be picked up in person by the graduate themselves; no exceptions . For a full schedule of ticket pickup, please visit the Commencement Tickets section.

Alumni Relations

Share this page, explore events, related news, congratulations to the 2024 commencement marshals.

Harvard Griffin GSAS is proud to announce the 2024 Commencement Marshals. One of Harvard's most cherished traditions, to be named a marshal is considered an honor for a graduating student.

Space to Grow

Katelyn Sweeney is an MS/MBA candidate at SEAS and HBS where she is the president of the aerospace and aviation club and works on the potential uses of satellite systems

Modeling Medical Machine Learning

Graduating student Yaniv Yacoby studies machine learning and how it can be applied to fields like healthcare.

Engineering a Solution to Climate Change

Graduating student Aaron Sabin may have a practical way to pull billions of tons of carbon out of the atmosphere, helping to arrest global warming.

Spring Graduate Ceremony

As the birthplace of public higher education, the University of Georgia has fostered a tradition of academic excellence, intellectual inquiry, and service to others since 1785. For our graduates, Commencement is a beginning, the start of the next chapter in their lives.

Whether you’re participating in the graduate Commencement ceremony or supporting your graduate, this information will help you prepare for and navigate graduation day.

Announcements

Regalia Orders are open. Order by Feb 11 to pick up at the Grad Fair March 20-21 from 10:00-4:00 at the UGA Bookstore.

Date: Thursday May 9, 2024

Ceremony Location: Stegeman Coliseum

Stegeman Coliseum Map

Master's/Specialists Ceremony: Start Time: 10:00 a.m. Doors Open: 8:00 a.m.

Doctoral Ceremony: Start Time: 2:00 p.m. Doors Open: 1:00 p.m.

Commencement Speaker

Dr. Jenna Jambeck is the Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor in Environmental Engineering at the University of Georgia, a 2022 MacArthur Fellow, Founder of the Circularity Informatics Lab in the New Materials Institute, and a 2018-2021 National Geographic Explorer. She has been conducting research on solid waste issues and marine debris/plastic pollution for two decades. Her work has been recognized by the global community and translated into policy discussions by the High-Level Panel for the Ocean, testimony to Congress, in G7 and G20 Declarations, and the United Nations Environment program. She has conducted public environmental diplomacy as an International Informational Speaker for the U.S. Department of State since 2017. This has included multiple global programs of speaking events, meetings, presentations to governmental bodies, and media outreach around the world including Chile, Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, South Africa, Vietnam, Jordan, Israel, South Korea, India, Taiwan, and China.

She has won awards for her teaching and research in the College of Engineering, the UGA Creative Research Medal, and was named a Public Service and Outreach Fellowship. In 2014 she sailed across the Atlantic Ocean with 13 other women in eXXpedition to sample land and open ocean plastic and encourage women to enter STEM disciplines. In 2019 she co-led the first-ever women-led expedition team for National Geographic conducting comprehensive research on plastic pollution in the Ganga River Basin. She and her research team lead the science component of the Mississippi River Plastic Pollution Initiative along with the Mayors along the Mississippi and UNEP North America. She is co-developer of the mobile app Marine Debris Tracker, a tool that continues to facilitate a growing global citizen science initiative. The app and citizen science program has documented the location of more than 8 million litter and marine debris items throughout the world. She is the host of a podcast called Aquathread on the WUGA NPR station and co-author on a book from MIT Press Essential Knowledge Series titled Plastics .

Tickets are not required for the graduate ceremony.

Assembly Instructions

Graduate degree candidates will report to the basketball practice gym on the second floor of the Stegeman Coliseum Training Facility 1 hour prior to the ceremony start time. Enter through the doors closest to the Carlton Street Parking Deck.

Hooding professors for the Doctoral ceremony should also assemble in the basketball practice gym by 1:00 p.m.

Seating Chart

Graduates are seated by degree.

Masters Seating Chart

Doctoral Seating Chart

Vewing Options

In addition to watching the ceremony in person, the graduate ceremonies will be broadcast live on the Commencement homepage  starting 5 minutes prior to each ceremony.  

Eligibility

Graduate Commencement ceremonies are held in May and December. Students completing graduate and doctoral degree requirements during summer must participate in the fall Graduate Commencement ceremony.

For general information regarding graduation requirements, consult the Graduate Bulletin . To ensure that all the requirements for graduation have been met, contact the Graduate Coordinator’s office in your academic department or email [email protected] .

Graduate Recognition

Master’s/Specialist degree candidates will cross the stage when their name is called.

Doctoral degree candidates will be hooded on stage by their major professor.

The information submitted through Marching Order will be used during the ceremony on the video boards in Stegeman Coliseum in recognition of the graduates’ achievements. Doctoral candidates sit in the doctoral graduate section along with their hooding professor.

Graduates’ personalized slides  will not  be displayed but will instead be available for download on the Commencement website for personal use.

The University of Georgia understands that not everyone will be able to attend the ceremony in person. Graduates who are  not  attending the ceremony will not have their name shown or read during the event. However, they will still be able to create and download the slide for personal use, and they may view the livestream of the ceremony.

In order for a graduate’s information to be included in the ceremony, they must  remove their FERPA restrictions . Graduates who submit their information to Marching Order by the deadline of Friday, April 12 will have their information displayed on the video boards. Recognitions will be grouped by degree.

Digital programs will be available to download for the Graduate Commencement Ceremony.

The names of students who applied to graduate with a master’s or specialist degree in Spring 2024 by March 10 will appear in the program. The names of students who applied to graduate with a doctoral degree in Spring 2024 and submitted their doctoral Commencement information form in GradStatus by March 10 also will appear in the program. The deadline to submit the doctoral commencement information form is March 10.

If you would like to receive a printed copy of the full 2024 Spring Commencement program, please fill out  this form  by June 14, 2024. Limit is two per graduate.

A summary program featuring the order of events will be handed out at the ceremony.

In order to appear in the program, candidates for degrees must remove their FERPA restrictions when applying for graduation.

Download Program

Photos from the Graduate Commencement ceremony are available through GradImages .

Diploma Frames and UGA Merchandise

UGA merchandise, including diploma frames, can be purchased from the University of Georgia Bookstore located next to Sanford Stadium as online at Jostens.

UGA Bookstore

UGA Balfour

Lost & Found

For items believed lost at Stegeman Coliseum, please contact the University of Georgia Police Department at [email protected] .

First Aid and ambulance services will be on-site to assist with emergency needs. First Aid is located behind Section NN in the Stegeman Coliseum concourse.

Helpful Tips

• Please follow the Clear Bag Policy .
• On-site wheelchairs are NOT available. Guests with difficulty walking are strongly encouraged to bring their own wheelchair. 
• Graduates should leave purses, coats, and other belongings with family members.
• Remain standing in front of your seat during the entire procession of the Platform Party. Do not stand in the aisles.
• In advance of the ceremony, graduates should pick a place to meet family and friends once the ceremony is completed.
• Please be respectful of those around you and the fact that this is a formal academic ceremony.  Beach balls, air horns, and other similar distractions may be confiscated.
• Alcoholic beverages are not permitted at any UGA Commencement ceremony.

Permitted/Prohibited Items

Security has the right to inspect any item at any time for the purpose of safety.

Prohibited items must be returned to cars or disposed of before entering and will not be accepted by employees or stored at the gates.

Permitted Items

• Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC and do not exceed 12" x 6"x 12"
• One-gallon clear plastic freezer bags
• Small clutch bags, with or without a handle or strap, that do not exceed 4.5" x 6.5"
• Bags that contain necessary medical items, which must be inspected and approved at a designated gate
• Food: items must fit inside the permitted-sized bags
• Beverages, including water, in sealed plastic bottles; items must fit inside the permitted-sized bag
• Cameras and video recorders (Clear Bag Policy applies to camera bags)

Prohibited Items

For the safety, security, and experience of all guests, the following items are prohibited:

• Wrapped gifts or packages wherein the contents are not visible
• Glass and aluminum containers
• Tobacco: UGA is a tobacco-free campus .
• Large items, such as balloons, banners and posters, flags, or amplification equipment, such as bullhorns or megaphones

Bag Specifications

Inclement Weather Policy

Stegeman Coliseum is an indoor arena. In case of inclement (severe) weather affecting UGA’s Graduate Commencement ceremony a notice will be placed on the University’s homepage.

Inclement Weather Operations Policy

Parking for the Graduate Commencement ceremony is free and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Suggested parking areas include South Campus Deck (S11), Carlton Street Deck (S15), and Foley Field Lot (S14).

McPhaul Lot (S10) and Coverdell Lot (S16) are reserved for designated participants by permit only.

Parking Map

For disability parking, see disability access .

For additional parking questions, please contact Parking Services at 706‑542‑7275 .

Disability Access

Visitors with disability concerns are strongly encouraged to arrive early to Stegeman coliseum. Doors open approximately 90 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony.

Main entrances to Stegeman Coliseum along Sanford Drive and Carlton Street are wheelchair accessible.

On-site wheelchairs are NOT available. Guests with difficulty walking are strongly encouraged to bring their own wheelchair. Wheelchairs are commonly available for short-term rental from medical supply stores and some pharmacies.

Disability Parking

Parking for guests with disabilities is available in the Hoke Smith Annex lot (S12). The lot is adjacent to Stegeman Coliseum. The main entrances to Stegeman Coliseum along Sanford Drive and Carlton Street are wheelchair accessible.

Disability Seating

Seating for guests in wheelchairs is very limited in Stegeman Coliseum. Disability and companion seating is located along the top row of the lower level. Disability seating allows access for one person in a wheelchair and one companion. Additional family members will need to sit separately in general seating. Please plan accordingly.

Captioning and Interpreting Services

Real time-captioning will be accessible it on personal devices via the livestream. Should an individual need assistance with technology, please contact [email protected] at least two weeks prior to the event.  

Individuals who need to request an ASL interpreter may do by contacting [email protected] . Requests should be made two weeks prior to the event to ensure service is available.  

For University of Georgia alumni with mobility impairments who choose to pass through the Arch after graduation, the University will have a temporary platform in place on Saturday, May 11, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

If you have any questions, contact Qiana Wilson, director of the Equal Opportunity Office at (706) 542‑7912 or [email protected] .

Academic Regalia (Cap & Gown)

Appropriate academic regalia must be worn by candidates in order to participate in the Graduate Commencement ceremony.

Candidates should wear their tassels on the right side prior to their degree being conferred and on the left side afterward. The mortarboard on the cap should be parallel to the ground.

Program-Specific Colors

With the exception of the honors tassels, the color of tassels are indicative of the academic subject area.

The color of the velvet on the hoods worn by PhD candidates is dark blue regardless of academic subject.

The colors associated with these subject areas are as follows:

Regalia Orders

Caps, gowns and hoods may be purchased online from Jostens.  Please click the button below for  purchasing information. Announcements can be ordered online from Jostens.

Please note: If you order your academic regalia from someone other than Jostens, they will not be able to assist you with missing or replacement items.

The grad fair will be hosted by the UGA Bookstore March 20 and March 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The online ordering deadline is February 11 for delivery and pick up at the grad fair.

Students will be issued a printed diploma that will be mailed to the student’s provided address as well as a Certified Electronic Diploma, or CeDiploma , to their UGA email account.  Both the printed diploma and CeDiploma will be issued approximately 8-10 weeks following the official graduation date.  

Please see the Registrar’s Office website for complete information regarding applying to graduate  and diplomas .

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UCLA Graduate Programs

Doctoral Hooding Ceremony Information for Candidates

Eligibility.

In order to be eligible to participate in the 2024 Doctoral Hooding Ceremony you must meet the following criteria:

• You must have filed a doctoral dissertation approved by the Division of Graduate Education during the Summer 2023, Fall 2023 or Winter 2024 term OR you must file a doctoral dissertation approved by the Division of Graduate Education during the Spring 2024 term on or before Monday, June 3, 2024, by no later than 5 p.m. PDT . For information on filing: filing your doctoral dissertation .
• In order to participate in the doctoral hooding ceremony , you must be a doctoral graduate.  Master’s students should contact their department regarding commencement ceremonies.

If you have eligibility questions, please contact Academic and Postdoctoral Services at [email protected] .

Participation

Graduates who filed in Summer 2023, Fall 2023 and Winter 2024 will receive invitations to the doctoral hooding ceremony beginning in late April. Doctoral candidates who successfully file in Spring 2024 will receive an email invitation from the Division of Graduate Education.

Guest Tickets

Due to the increasing number of doctoral graduates and limited seating capacity in Royce Hall, graduates will only be able to order up to four (4) guest tickets and request two (2) waitlist tickets.  Tickets can be ordered through myUCLA only beginning on April 22, 2024 .   Faculty do NOT need tickets. They are invited separately by the Division of Graduate Education. 

Electronic Option Only

• Guest tickets will be issued electronically in early June by the UCLA Central Ticket Office (CTO).

Waitlist Tickets

• Through MyUCLA , you can request two (2) additional waitlist tickets for the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony during your designated ordering cycle. We make every effort to grant all waitlist ticket requests. However, they are not guaranteed .
• Waitlist tickets will be determined via lottery on a rolling basis.
• Waitlist ticket decisions will be posted on MyUCLA . If your waitlist ticket request has been granted, the status will be updated on MyUCLA and you will receive your tickets electronically.

“Day of Event” Timeline

1:30 p.m. Graduates check-in at Royce Quad.  Graduate and faculty reception on the West Terrace of Royce Hall. Light appetizers and beverages will be served at the reception. Due to space restrictions, family members and friends may not accompany the graduates to the graduate/faculty reception in Royce Hall.

2:00 p.m. Doors open in the auditorium for guest seating.

2:40 p.m. Processional line-up begins. The official party will lead followed by the faculty and graduate processionals

3:00 p.m. Hooding ceremony begins . The anticipated duration is 2 hours.

5:00 p.m. (approx.) Post-ceremony gathering outside on Royce Quad.

Reader & Display Cards

A pink or yellow reader card will be provided to you when you check in at the ceremony, and will be used to announce your name as you come forward to be hooded. Should you have a difficult name to pronounce, please print the phonetic pronunciation of your name where indicated.

You will also receive a card with a QR code printed on it.  This will be used to project your name on a screen on the stage while you are being hooded.

Graduates are responsible for renting OR purchasing their own  cap ,  gown and  hood for the ceremony. Ordering can be completed through  Graduation, Et Cetera . Questions should be directed to Graduation, Et Cetera (A-Level of Ackerman Union, 310- 825-2587).

• The rental regalia is a standard black gown, flat cap, and blue hood.
• Graduate rental regalia ordering begins on April 8, 2024 .
• TIME SENSITIVE NOTE:  For those graduates who wish to order fine regalia that is specific to UCLA (blue gown, tam and tassel that is custom sized), regalia must be purchased no later than April 12, 2024, as delivery takes approximately 8 weeks.  Any questions?  Contact Graduation, Et Cetera.

If you are receiving your PhD degree, you should purchase/rent a Royal Blue hood .  However, professional doctoral degree recipients should request the appropriate hood color representing their fields of learning:

Environmental Science & Engineering – Golden Yellow Education – Light Blue Music – Pink Nursing – Apricot Public Health – Salmon Pink

NOTE: Graduation, Etc. is the official Jostens vendor for the purchase and rental of regalia. Thus, they are licensed to reproduce the official UC colors and brand their gowns as University of California. There are other regalia vendors with whom you wish to do business. However, please note that we have no corporate responsibility information from their factories to determine where their materials are being resourced, or how/where they are being produced.

Tips for preparing your gown for your big day:

• Remove the gown from the packaging and place on a hanger to allow the folds to fall out, and hang your gown in a high humidity area. Otherwise, it will be very wrinkled.
• If you wish to press your gown, turn it inside out and press with a warm , not hot iron. Steaming is also an option.
• Because it has a tendency to get very warm in the auditorium, please wear lightweight clothing underneath your regalia.

Following the event, you may return your rented regalia to the collection tables outside Royce Hall. Caps, gowns and hoods may be kept and turned in later if you are participating in a separate ceremony during commencement weekend.

Ceremony Photographs

Graduates will be photographed by GradImages as they are being hooded during the ceremony. Graduates may purchase prints following the event and will be contacted directly by GradImages.

Graduation Announcements

Visit Graduation, Et Cetera to purchase graduation announcements.

Graduation Portraits

Formal or candid portraits can be scheduled at the Campus Photo Studio on the A-level of Ackerman Union. Sittings may be arranged in person or by calling 310-206-8433. Academic attire will be furnished without charge for use in the Campus Photo Studio. Portrait prices vary according to individual needs.

Ceremony Details

• Graduates: Please leave valuables, purses, and backpacks with family members/guests, as there is no place to store or secure them during the procession and ceremony.
• The Processional: Candidates will be led into the auditorium by two pre-selected student marshals. Professional graduates (Ed.D., D. Env., D.M.A., D.N.P. and Dr. PH) should line up at the end of the procession so the last reader can correctly identify their degrees. Faculty participants will be seated on stage behind the official party.
• Hooding: At the appropriate time, graduates will be directed by event staff to stand by row and proceed to the left side of the stage. You will hand your pink/yellow and QR code cards to an event staff person at the top of the stairs. You will be cued when to proceed across the stage to be hooded.
• NO GUESTS ALLOWED ON STAGE –  We kindly ask that you refrain from bringing guests (e.g. children, other family members) on stage with you when you are hooded.  We realize this is a joyous occasion and you want to celebrate the moment with your loved ones.  However, due to liability concerns, the swift pacing of the ceremony, the limited space on stage and the high number of graduates (more than 300) who will be hooded, we cannot accommodate additional people on stage.
• Due to the high number of graduates and time constraints, only pre-designated platform party hooding marshals will hood the candidates rather than individual dissertation committee members. Chairs, co-chairs and members of a dissertation committee will be invited to stand when their respective candidate(s) cross(es) the stage to be hooded.
• After being hooded you will pose for a photo with the Vice Provost/Dean and shake hands with the Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor. A photographer will stop you as you leave the stage to take an official photograph before you return to your original seat.
• You will not receive your diploma at the ceremony.
• Recessional : The official platform party that is seated on stage will file out of the auditorium first, followed by the faculty, and then by the graduates who will be led by the two student marshals.

How to Wear Your Cap and Carry Your Hood

Instructions on How to Wear Your Cap and Carry Your Hood .

UCLA Transportation uses the Bruin ePermit System where your license plate is your permit.

The Bruin ePermit system works similar to a supermarket scanner with your license plate functioning as the barcode. When read, the numbers of your plate are automatically referenced against the parking database to verify a valid permit for the lot location.

Students and guests attending 2023 Commencement ceremonies are able to purchase a parking permit online, anonymously, and in advance through the Bruin ePermit Event Parking portal beginning on May 1st.

To avoid long lines at the self-service pay stations on campus, it is recommended to purchase your parking permit in advance of attending the Commencement ceremonies.

• General parking will be available in Parking Structures 4 and 5
• Each permit will only be valid for one vehicle on the date selected
• Guest account is not required
• Depending on space availability you may be redirected to park in an alternative parking location, no additional parking permit will be required
• Parking permits are non-refundable & non-transferrable

View the  parking map  and  instructions for obtaining a parking permit .

Day of parking will also be available at our various visitor parking locations using the self-service Pay Station machines or  ParkMobile . If utilizing Parkmobile you can use Parkmobile Zone 2590.

Accessible parking is available  across campus  and guests displaying valid DP parking placards or license plates who have purchased a Commencement permit may park in any legal parking stall with the exception of Passenger Loading (white curb) and Commercial Loading (yellow curb) spaces.

If you have questions, please contact us at  [email protected] or (310) 794-7433. For more information regarding the Graduate Celebration please visit the UCLA Commencement 2023 FAQs.

Class of 2024 Graduates Day Livestream

May 9, 2024.

Graduates Day at the David Williams II Recreation and Wellness Center Indoor Practice Facility

Commencement Celebration at the David Williams II Recreation and Wellness Center Indoor Practice Facility

May 10, 2024

Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony at GEODIS Park

Graduate and Professional Commencement Ceremonies

Top Resources

Know before you go, schedule of events, text alerts, nichols-chancellor's medal.

Every year, the Nichols-Chancellor’s Medal is awarded to a person who exemplifies the best qualities of the human spirit. They then deliver the keynote speech at Vanderbilt’s Graduates Day ceremony, which is the day before Commencement

Student Profiles

The Real Reason Grads Wear a Cap and Gown

A s graduation season kicks off in the United States — for example, on Wednesday, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will be a commencement speaker at Bethune-Cookman University, and Friday will see commencement appearances by Will Ferrell at the University of Southern California and Sheryl Sandberg at Virginia Tech — many students will don a cap and gown for the rite of passage.

Fewer, it is likely, will know why wearing a robe and an unusual hat is a symbol of having finished school.

The answer can be traced back to the origins of the first European universities, which were founded by clergy in the 12th and 13th centuries. The gowns and hoods (often brown or black in color) worn by students signified their religious status, marking their difference from the laypeople of the town in which they studied. As Columbia University points out in its history of the regalia, that means the origins of “town and gown” divides were quite literal.

“With few exceptions, the medieval scholar had taken minor religious orders, made certain vows,” according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)’s primer on academic garb. The hoods served to keep the scholars’ shaved heads warm. At one point, the hood is said to have been just an alms bag slung around their necks . The gowns were also thought to be necessary to keep graduates warm in unheated buildings.

Nowadays, with many more people pursuing higher education, having to wear a cap, gown and hood can be seen as a drag — especially at a ceremony that’s often outdoors in hot weather. But the uniform was considered a privilege. And caps and gowns weren’t always just associated with graduation. At Columbia in the 19th century — and even when it was known as King’s College in the 18th century — the cap and gown was the uniform. One account reports that a student who stole eight sheets of paper and a pen knife was stripped of his gown and barred from wearing his cap and gown for a week.

An American intercollegiate commission devised the modern-day system of academic regalia, which involves robes that are different lengths depending on the degree and colors that signify various disciplines.

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University PhD Ceremony

The University Ph.D. Recognition Ceremony will be held on Friday, May 24 at 5:30 p.m. at Barton Hall. Watch the Livestream of the Ceremony here. --> At this event, we will celebrate and recognize the significant achievements of doctoral PhD, JSD, and DMA graduates from August ’23, December ’23, and expected May ’24 and August ’24. This special ceremony is for all Doctoral candidates to be individually recognized on stage and welcomed into the academy of scholars. Ph.D. candidates and their families, friends, and faculty members are invited to attend.  A reception with light refreshments will immediately follow the ceremony.

Cap & Gown Online Ordering until April 18th

Doctoral regalia must be worn by Ph.D. degree candidates.  An outfit will include a Ph.D. robe, Ph.D. hood, soft tam, and gold tassel.  You should wear your Ph.D. regalia at the Ph.D. Ceremony on Friday, Commencement on Saturday, and your college or field ceremony during the weekend. It is not necessary to wait until your degree is finalized.

Ceremony RSVP & Hooding Photo Instructions

To Participate in the Ph.D. Ceremony

Ph.D. candidates must RSVP by Wednesday, May 22, 2024. RSVP HERE

“Walking early” is permitted, so candidates may participate in the Ph.D. Ceremony prior to their degree being finalized.

Phonetic Pronunciation of Names at the Ceremony

To help the faculty reading your name during the ceremony, please enter details via this short Qualtrics form .

Hooding Photos Prior to Recognition Ceremony

May 24, 2024 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. ILR Conference Center, Room 229

The Graduate School invites Ph.D. graduates and their advisors to the ILR Conference Center for the opportunity to have a professional photographer capture posed photos acting out the ceremonial hooding prior to the formal Ph.D. Recognition ceremony on May 24, 2024. Photos will be shared with the graduates free of charge in the days following Commencement weekend.

Photographers and photo backdrops will be available between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. in Room 229 at the ILR Conference Center, next to Barton Hall. Photographers will capture posed photos of Ph.D. graduates and their advisors acting out the ceremonial hooding, in which a faculty member places the hood over the shoulders of the graduate to signify their success in completing their graduate program.

Hundreds of Ph.D. candidates will be recognized at the event, so please plan to arrive early to avoid a last-minute rush to take your photos. The photographers and backdrops will not be available following the formal Ph.D. Recognition Ceremony.

Graduates are free to invite their advisors or another committee member to perform the hooding. In addition, Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate Education, Kathryn Boor, will be available from 4:00-5:00 p.m. to hood graduates whose advisors are unable to attend. Graduates should wear their appropriate cap, gown, and hood. Faculty members may wear their regalia , but it is not required.

Graduates and their advisors do not need to RSVP to take advantage of this opportunity. However, candidates must RSVP to attend the ceremony in Barton Hall.

Please contact the Graduate School with any questions about this event: [email protected]

Ph.D. Hooding Photos May 24, 2024 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. ILR Conference Center, Room 229

Arrival and Event Schedule

All participants of the academic procession should be inside Barton Hall and lined in place by 5:15 p.m.  The program begins promptly at 5:30 p.m. as music begins and the University Marshal leads the formal procession of candidates, faculty, trustees, deans, provost, and president.

All PhD candidates will walk across the stage as each name is read, during the ceremony.  When the ceremony concludes, an informal reception will follow inside Barton.  All are welcome to enjoy refreshments at the reception until 7:30 pm.

Faculty Invitation

Photographs

Office of University Commencement Events B13 Day Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 [email protected]

May Future Dates

• May 24-26, 2024
• May 23-25, 2025
• May 22-24, 2026
• May 28-30, 2027

December Future Dates

• Sunday, December 22, 2024
• Sunday, December 21, 2025
• Sunday, December 20, 2026

© 2024 Cornell University

Web Accessibility Help

Clear Bag Policy

Clear bag policy is in place for ALL COMMENCEMENT EVENTS. Guests and graduates will not be allowed to enter with prohibited bags or items on prohibited list, including umbrellas, signs, and strollers. Review the guidelines before arriving on campus.

Commencement Homepage

Join us as we celebrate the Class of 2024

The university-wide commencement ceremony is held annually in may, recognizing the graduates from the previous academic year. the 2024 ceremony will take place on saturday, may 11 at 7:30 p.m. college and school events will take place in the days prior. a full schedule of these events is available via the "ceremonies" tab above. , on saturday, may 11, darrell k royal-texas memorial stadium will open at 6 p.m. for guests and graduates., graduates must be seated by 7:10 p.m..

Keynote Speaker for the 141st Commencement Ceremony

Retired Maj. Gen. Jeannie M. Leavitt, the first female fighter pilot for the U.S. Air Force, will deliver the keynote address for the 141st Commencement of The University of Texas at Austin.

The History of Graduation Ceremonies and Other School Rituals

Graduation ceremonies and traditions have certainly changed over the past 100 years.

What was school like for our parents, grandparents, and the rest of our ancestors? We often see an individual’s level of education reported on the U.S. census and if we are lucky, we might know the school they attended. But how much do we know about what school life was like for them in 1920 or even 1850? Were there such things as senior parties and senior pranks? What were graduation ceremonies like?

Graduation ceremonies and traditions have certainly changed over the past 100 years , as indicated in a study by Carl M. Hulbert and Harl R. Douglass of 1930s graduation activities in the state of Wisconsin. Today, most college graduations are held at stadiums and large arenas to accommodate the large crowds. In contrast, ceremonies in the 1930s appear to have been a bit more subdued, with the focus on the invocation and benediction. In Wisconsin, 77% of schools placed their senior class on the stage for graduation ceremonies. Only 11% seated the faculty along with the senior class.

Senior activities have also changed a bit since the 1930s. Then, 90% of schools reported that they held a senior-class play, an occurrence not often seen in today’s world. Other popular events included a senior picnic, reported by 56% of Wisconsin’s schools and a junior-senior banquet, held by 41% of schools. Only 27% of high schools reported that they held a senior trip, and only 8% held a slouch day. Perhaps the biggest change between 2014 and the 1930s—in 1934 only 4% of Wisconsin’s high schools held a senior camera day.

Clearly developments in technology and transportation have changed the way high school seniors celebrate their graduation. Graduation parties are not a modern invention , but they might have changed a bit over the years. Jo Measure recounts graduation parties in Montana in the 1920s that included ten-day hikes, and backpacking trips stretching 150 miles.

Overall, education has seen significant changes over the past hundred years, as many of our ancestors who lived in the 19 th century were taught at home or in one-room schools. A study of the creation of public school districts within the United States notes the large decline in the number of school districts, in relationship to the declining number of one-room schools, between 1916 and 1984. A number of key factors can be attributed to this change, including a declining farming population and a decrease in rural birth rates. These factors, along with others, led to an overall decrease in the number of children per square mile. Looking at your own ancestry, you might see changes in the educational activities of a family based upon their occupation, family sizes, and residence between 1880 and 1930.

While the number of children to attend school within a square mile decreased, other factors led our ancestors into more centralized school systems. Developments in transportation—including the addition of personal vehicles and increased road quality—enabled more students to travel further as they sought their education. Life at school changed dramatically, as many moved from a non-graded system to standardized grading and a high school program, as we know it today. As our ancestral families transferred from traditional rural, one-room school experiences to a public school system, they might have faced admission tests, such as the one reported by Avis Carlson in Kansas in 1907. The questions illustrate the level of education needed to move forward in the new graded system, “give a brief account of the colleges, printing, and religion in the colonies prior to the American Revolution” and “find the interest on an eight-per-cent note for $900 running 2 years, 2 months, 6 days.” Questions also reflected current political climates, a sign of the prohibition era that was to come, “write 200 words on the evil effects of alcoholic beverages.”

What about the daily routine of our ancestors as students in this new world? As public graded school systems worked to establish standards, a blue-ribbon panel known was the Carnegie group proposed that each class run for 50 minutes for 32 weeks. A course was called a “unit” that would include 180 hours of instruction, while students were also given 10 minutes to move from classroom to classroom—a pattern that persists today in some public school settings.

The options facing today’s high school graduates include a multitude of routes, such as moving forward to college and universities. For our ancestors, some had similar options; including specialized degrees catering to those who might have been denied educational opportunities in the past. The Female Medical College of Pennsylvania ’s fees for the 1854-1855 term seem almost immaterial compared to the cost of today’s education. A matriculation fee (paid only the first session) was $5, followed by $10 to each professor, a $5 fee for practical anatomy and chemistry, and a final $20 graduation fee. The school had four graduates in 1854, which included Elizabeth H. Bates of New York who studied the best means of preserving heath and Lucinda R. Brown of Texas, who studied digestion.

Looking for further details? Every genealogist should check back issues of The Journal of Education . Founded in 1875, the publication is a rich resource for tracing the history of our ancestor’s educational activities. One regular feature, “ Educational News ” from the early 1900s regularly circulated news from across the United States, including notes of graduation and syllabus requirements, appointments made to school boards and Teachers’ Associations, and other details about changes in local school systems.

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Cap & Gown

Graduating students participating in commencement wear a cap/tam, gown, hood and tassel.

Get more information about commencement ceremonies.   

Student Checklist

Prepare for your big day with a step-by-step checklist.

Streaming & Videos

Enjoy moments from past commencement ceremonies.

Please note that all ceremonies have a clear bag policy. Additional details regarding ceremony venue entry can be on the May Commencement Ceremonies page. 

Final instructions for Commencement ceremony participants . | View photos from May 2024 Commencement activities here .

May 3-4, 2024

Rice University Commencement

Watch Live Feed and View Commemorative Digital Program

Important Commencement Deadlines

• March 24 – DEADLINE: Ship to Campus Store (Doctoral, Advanced Degrees, MBA, Undergraduate); Ship to home (Doctoral) regalia orders close
• March 31 – DEADLINE: Ship to home (Advanced Degrees, MBA, Undergraduate) regalia orders close
• See Commencement Participation for more information.

Important Commencement Dates

Friday, May 3, 2024 Jones School (MBA) Commencement Ceremony 2 p.m. Tudor Fieldhouse

Saturday, May 4, 2024 Doctoral Commencement Ceremony 9 a.m. Tudor Fieldhouse

Advanced Degrees Commencement Ceremony (includes Bachelor of Architecture, as well as Jones School MAcc and MA degree recipients) 2 p.m. Tudor Fieldhouse

Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony 7 p.m. Rice Stadium

2024 Commencement Speaker

Peggy Whitson ’86

Whitson is currently serving as director of human spaceflight for Houston-based Axiom Space. Over the past almost four decades, she has held various remarkable leadership positions, often being the first woman to do so, including NASA’s chief of the Astronaut Office, twice as commander of the International Space Station, chair of NASA’s Astronaut Selection Board, NASA’s Operations Branch chief and NASA deputy division chief for both the Medical Sciences Division and the Astronaut Office, and as commander of Ax-2, a private space mission in May 2023. Read full story on Rice News

Peggy Whitson will make remarks at the Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony taking place on the evening of Saturday, May 4 at 7 p.m.

Due to the size and seating capacity of the Rice Stadium, all members of our community will be welcome to attend the Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony if they would like to hear the commencement speaker in person. Additionally, viewing the speaker’s remarks via the live stream will be an option for all interested.

Academic Regalia

News and announcements, frequently asked questions, helpful links.

University of Pennsylvania Commencement  

Franklin field on monday, may 20, 2024.

The University of Pennsylvania's 268th Commencement ceremony will take place on  Monday, May 20, 2024 , in Franklin Field at 10:15 a.m., and will be preceded by student and academic processions through campus. The ceremony will end at approximately 12:15 p.m. and will feature the conferral of degrees, the awarding of honorary degrees, greetings by University officials, and remarks by the Commencement speaker, Siddhartha Mukherjee , renowned physician, researcher, and best-selling author.   Before entering Franklin Field, graduating students will assemble starting at 8:00 a.m. for a procession to the stadium.

Speaker and Honorary Degree Recipients

The speaker and honorary degree recipients for The University of Pennsylvania's 268th Commencement ceremony include Siddhartha Mukherjee, Ingrid Daubechies, Karl Deisseroth, Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Maya Lin (see slideshow.)  

See Full Biographies

Siddhartha Mukherjee

Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction, 2011 Oncologist and Associate Professor, Columbia University; author

2024 Commencement Speaker and Honorary Doctor of Sciences

Ingrid Daubechies

Physicist and mathematician, discoverer of “Daubechies wavelet” James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Mathematics and Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University

Honorary Doctor of Sciences

Karl Deisseroth

Pioneer of optogenetics and CLARITY D.H. Chen Professor of Bioengineering and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University

Kenneth Gamble

Singer, songwriter, music producer, entrepreneur Co-Founder, Philadelphia International Records and the “Sound of Philadelphia”

Honorary Doctor of Music

Pianist, songwriter, music producer, entrepreneur Co-Founder, Philadelphia International Records and the “Sound of Philadelphia”

Artist, designer, environmentalist Creator of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, and the new home of the Museum of Chinese in America in New York City

Honorary Doctor of Arts

Webcast of Penn’s Commencement Ceremony

Family members and friends who are unable to attend Penn’s 268th Commencement may watch or listen to a live webcast of the ceremony. Coverage from Franklin Field will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, May 20, 2024.  Come back to the website on Monday, May 20th at 9:00 a.m. ET for the webcast. For the webcast archives, go to the  Commencement Webcast & Multimedia Archives  page.

Webcast Archives

Commencement Ceremony Information

School Ceremonies

Frequently Asked Questions

For Family and Guests

Address & phone.

1 College Hall, Room 211 Philadelphia, PA 19104 (215) 898-7006

Event Contact

Office of the University Secretary

Media Contact

Email Amanda Mott

Commencement

Policy changes for Commencement

WashU has implemented several policy changes for the safety and convenience of our community during the university ceremony as well as the school recognition ceremonies and events.Tickets

Tickets are now required for all school ceremonies. Schools will communicate and distribute tickets for their individual ceremonies directly to the graduates. Please see  Calendar of Events  for school schedules and direct links to school Commencement webpages. Links are highlighted in red.

Graduates may not bring any bags of any type onto Francis Olympic Field, or into the school ceremonies.

Guests are strongly encouraged not to bring bags. Only the following types of bags will be allowed:

• Clear plastic bags , not to exceed 14”x14”x4”. Clear bags will be available and free of charge in parking locations and at the ceremony entrances, for those who need them.
• Small clutch-type wallets or purses not to exceed 4”x6”. Diaper bags are allowed for those with small children, but will be inspected.
• Medically necessary equipment is permitted after inspection.

The following items are prohibited in all university and school ceremonies and events, and are subject to confiscation:

• Air horns and other artificial noisemakers
• Animals, except assistance animals
• Banners or signs larger than 2’x3’ (no poles of any kind will be allowed)
• Food and drink (except water)
• Firearms and weapons
• Laser lights
• Balloons, glitter and confetti
• Unmanned aircraft/drones

May Commencement

The 163rd commencement ceremony is scheduled for monday, may 13, 2024 at 9:00 a.m., december recognition.

The December ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.

Future Commencements *

Monday, May 12, 2025

Friday, May 15, 2026

Friday, May 21, 2027

*Tentative dates

Ohio State graduation death being investigated as a suicide

COLUMBUS, Ohio − Officials are investigating Sunday's graduation ceremony death at the Ohio State University football stadium as a suicide, coroner's office documents show.

On Tuesday, the university announced the woman who fell to her death from stadium stands had been identified as Larissa Brady , a family member of a graduate participating in Sunday's ceremony.

Preliminary reports from the Franklin County Coroner's Office said Brady's death is being investigated as an "apparent suicide ," The Columbus Dispatch, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported.

Brady, 53, lived north of Atlanta with her husband and son, and her daughter was a graduating senior at OSU, according to the school's commencement program.

What does the coroner report say?

Brady spoke to her daughter as she entered the stadium for commencement, according to the coroner's report.

Brady then went into the stadium with her husband and son, 12, to sit and watch the ceremony, the coroner's report said. Once seated, Brady told her family she wanted to move higher into the stadium and her family told investigators they lost sight of her.

After making her way to the last row of benches, witnesses saw Brady climb over the stadium's concrete wall, according to the coroner's office.

On Sunday, photos from the scene showed police and yellow tape near gate 30 at Ohio Stadium.

What did Ohio State University say?

Officials from Ohio State University said Tuesday that campus police, who were responsible for investigating the incident, did not suspect foul play and do not think Brady's death was accidental.

The OSU community is grieving and going through a difficult time this week, university spokesperson Benjamin Johnson said Tuesday in a statement.

"Ohio State is grieving the death of Larissa Brady, a family member of one of our graduates," Johnson said. "Our hearts go out to her family and friends during this exceptionally difficult time."

Following the death, the university contacted all graduates and staff who volunteered at graduation and offered counseling services, Johnson told the Dispatch.

University officials and commencement speakers – including social entrepreneur and OSU alum  Chris Pan  – made no reference to the death during the ceremony, which continued uninterrupted, the Dispatch reported.

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or a crisis and needs help, call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Max Filby reports for The Columbus Dispatch. Claire Thornton reports for USA TODAY.

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Graduate’s mother id’d as person who plunged to death from stands at ohio state university commencement.

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The woman who plunged to her death from the stands of the Ohio State University commencement ceremony over the weekend was identified as a graduate’s parent — and her death was likely a suicide, officials announced Tuesday.

The Franklin County Coroner’s Office said Larissa Brady, 53, of Georgia was pronounced dead after falling 136 feet from the Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Sunday.

She was identified by her fingerprints.

Police are still investigating the tragedy, but believe it was “not accidental.”

Foul play, however, is not suspected, university spokesperson Ben Johnson confirmed to The Post.

“Ohio State is grieving the death of Larissa Brady, a family member of one of our graduates. Our hearts go out to her family and friends during this exceptionally difficult time,” Johnson said.

Brady’s daughter was among those graduating, the Columbus Dispatch reported, citing the commencement program.

The horror unfolded near the stadium’s Bell Tower around 12:30 p.m. as the final graduates filed into the stadium.

Some students witnessed the suspected suicide and were visibly shaken, but the ceremony continued without interruption.

The commencement speakers did not mention the incident, and it is not clear whether Brady’s daughter knew about her mother’s death until after she crossed the stage.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the newest alum reportedly walked past the scene of the tragedy, which was still cordoned off with yellow police tape.

OSU is offering counseling to those in the community in need of support, Johnson emphasized, adding that those experiencing suicidal thoughts should reach out to crisis hotlines.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to  SuicidePreventionLifeline.org .

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'Your past does not define your future': Teens graduate while awaiting trial

"Pomp and Circumstance" played. Teachers gave speeches. Kids turned their tassels.

But the small graduation in Mount Auburn was not an ordinary event. These weren’t ordinary graduates.

After the April 5 ceremony, the two teens who received their diplomas could not drive across town to go party with their friends. They weren’t even allowed to leave the venue.

While their peers are looking forward to college or a trade school, these teens are facing possible prison sentences.

'Our job is not to punish them'

This was the third graduation ceremony held at the Hamilton County Youth Detention Center since the beginning of 2023.

While youth at the facility have earned their diplomas in the past, the ceremonies are new. Director Brian Bell said there may have been similar events but not in decades.

“The more we do it, the more we’ll achieve because everyone will want it,” Bell said. ”We’re all in here together. It’s as gratifying for our staff as it is for these kids. Half this staff is here on their off day.”

The state requires the center to provide education to all the youth held there. There are classrooms like you'd find in any other school. In addition to the youth's right to an education, research has shown that education in juvenile facilities lowers recidivism .

The detention center, like other county juvenile lock-ups in Ohio, is only used for pre-trial detention. No one there has been convicted or sentenced, but they have been accused of everything from auto theft to murder. Most of the stays are short, but some youth stay a year or more while their cases work through the court system.

At the facility, the teens take classes and some earn enough credits and pass enough tests to get their diplomas.

Bell, who speaks philosophically about his job and the goals of his facility, said “tangible gratification” is hard to come by behind the locked doors at 2020 Auburn Ave. This ceremony is one of those moments.

Bell emphasized everyone at the center – an average of about 85 kids at any given time – is innocent until proven guilty.

“Our job is not to punish them. It’s to keep them safe,” Bell said. “We do whatever we can to make life a little bit better for them than when they got here. As good or better. Not worse.”

A different kind of milestone

Correctional Officer Whitney Bingham did a Kroger run before heading to work on the day of the graduation. She wanted to pick up some things for the ceremony.

She was scheduled to start work at noon but showed up hours early. She said she was “too excited.”

She greeted the families in the lobby with a huge smile and escorted them to the gymnasium, leading them through a door that had to be unlocked by a guard, downstairs via a secure elevator and through two more locked doors.

In the gym, about two dozen family members and an equal number of staff members sat and stood facing a small podium. Silver, black and gold balloons drifted around the floor.

Simple programs were on every folding chair. Notably absent: the graduates' names. The Enquirer agreed not to name the teens either.

Hamilton County Juvenile Court said both graduates are young men, arrested as teens, facing felony charges in adult court. Both will face trial in front of an adult-court judge and both could be sentenced to time in prisons for adults, not kids.

While this graduation ceremony marks an achievement for these teens, it also means they are closer to going to trial.

'Your past does not define your future'

During the ceremony, the charges the two teens face were never mentioned. If the boys thought about their possible time behind bars, their smiles and poise in their robes didn't show it. Even if those thoughts sneaked in, the crowd of cheering and smiling family members may have been loud enough to drown it out.

The roar of clapping filled the gym as the first graduate walked between the rows of chairs.

He wore a black robe and mortarboard hat with a black and red tassel. These are the colors of his home school, Oak Hills High School.

His principal, J. Travis Hunt, was there to hand over the diploma.

“Your past does not define your future,” Hunt said. “Stay focused on your dreams. May your future be filled with success.”

The teen pulled a yellow piece of paper from under his robe and read the words he'd prepared. He thanked a long list of people including staff members.

“This wouldn’t be possible without my mom, dad, family and God,” he said “I love y’all.”

Gail Ash, a Cincinnati Public Schools teacher assigned to the center, presented the next graduate, welcoming him to the podium with a fist bump.

She called him an “amazing student” who is a lifelong learner and reader.

“These two young men are amazing,” she said, smiling. “Now you may flip your tassels.”

The moms, dads and siblings mobbed their new graduates. It was hug after hug. A young woman took one of them by the hand and twirled him around to get a good look at him in his robe. Everyone got their hugs.

The boys played it cool mostly, but their smiles never faded throughout the ceremony.

'When a student wants help, how do you say no?'

Sister Janet Linz has taught at Purcell Marian for 25 years. Before the ceremony, she had carefully made her way to the gym carrying a small gift bag.

She usually comes to the detention center about twice a month to help the students, but to help one of that day’s graduates, she stepped it up to twice a week.

She said he needed help with English and was very unsure of himself. She worked on the fundamentals but also on his insecurity.

She smiled, remembering when she overheard the boy talking to his friends about the upcoming ACT test. He told them, "I just need to be confident." Her words had sunk in.

Linz said she had always wanted to volunteer at the center, but it wasn’t until last year that she did it. She said it’s taught her a lot.

“To see the expression on the kids’ faces,” she said. “When a student wants help, how do you say no?”

Not giving up

From the podium, Judge Kari Bloom told the teens their work and development matters.

“While we might not have met under the best circumstances, I could not be more proud," she said. “We value education here. To do otherwise is to say when you’re charged with a crime, we give up.”

After the ceremony, the teens and their families headed to three folding tables covered in food. Four other teens also held at the detention center served chicken wings, carrots, cupcakes and snacks.

Those teens helped prepare the meal for the celebration, and like the graduates, were preparing for their own futures. The four were part of a program at the center with Aramark, a food service company. Those who complete the program are guaranteed a job with the company.

The younger kids played and squirmed through the crowd. The families moved the chairs into circles in the gym. The graduates sat close, catching up with their parents and other relatives.

But their time was limited.

A staff member told them they could visit with their new graduates in the gym until 2:30 p.m., just two and a half hours after the ceremony began.

Person dies after falling from stands during Ohio State graduation

A person died after having fallen from spectator stands to the ground level during Ohio State University's graduation ceremony Sunday in Columbus, school leaders said.

The incident was under investigation. The identity of the deceased was unavailable.

The ceremony at Ohio Stadium featured entrepreneur Christopher Pan as the spring commencement speaker. A school spokesperson told NBC affiliate WCMH of Columbus the death did not affect the day's schedule of events from noon to roughly 3 p.m.

The ceremony took place during a spring filled with controversy over pro-Palestinian protests and roiled by deadly tornadic activity from the Midwest to the South.

Ohio State University students staged multiple protests on campus criticizing Israel's war in Gaza after Hamas' Oct. 7 surprise attack on the country. They were widely characterized as peaceful.

Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. 

Distinguished Graduate Student Award Winners Honored At 2024 Faculty Affairs Spring Award Ceremony

The Texas A&M Graduate and Professional School, in collaboration with The Association of Former Students, recently presented 16 Aggies with Distinguished Graduate Student Awards. This prestigious award recognizes outstanding contributions by graduate students in research or teaching. Generous contributions to The Association of Former Students’ Annual Fund have made these awards possible.

“Since 1965, The Association of Former Students has been proud to honor the very best of Texas A&M’s graduate students with the Distinguished Graduate Student Award,” said Porter Garner ’79, president and CEO of The Association of Former Students. “These exceptional Aggies have made an indelible contribution to Texas A&M and our world through their teaching and research across disciplines. They embody the Aggie Core Values and represent the Aggie Network with distinction.”

Dr. Fuhui Tong, interim associate provost and dean of the Graduate and Professional School, extended gratitude to The Association of Former Students and kudos to the awardees. “Thanks to The Association of Former Students for their support in helping us recognize this year’s Distinguished Graduate Students,” Tong said. “And congratulations to these outstanding students for making such a positive impact on our university and the world.“

Distinguished Graduate Student Award winners were honored at the Faculty Affairs Spring Award Ceremony on Friday, April 26. Each was presented with an engraved watch and a framed certificate.

Awards in Research

Rachel Busselman,  ecology and evolutionary biology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Faculty Advisor: Dr. Sarah Hamer

Sambandh Dhal,  computer engineering, College of Engineering Faculty Advisors: Dr. Stavros Kalafatis and Dr. Ulisses Braga-Neto

Wenliang He,  animal science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Advisor: Dr. Guoyao Wu

Nirmitee Sanjay Mulgaonkar,  biological and agricultural engineering, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Advisors: Dr. Sandun Fernando and Dr. Maria King

Tejaswini Reddy,  medical sciences, School of Medicine Faculty Advisors: Dr. Jenny Chang and Dr. David Huston

Kara Thomas,  biomedical sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Faculty Advisor: Dr. Michael Golding

James Tronolone,  biomedical engineering, College of Engineering Faculty Advisor: Dr. Abishek Jain

Ruida Zhou,  electrical engineering, College of Engineering Faculty Advisor: Dr. Chao Tian

Awards in Teaching

Nicholas Bradley,  communication, College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Advisor: Dr. Nathan Crick

Catherine Brooks,  anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Advisor: Dr. Shelley Wachsmann

Abigail Clevenger,  biomedical engineering, College of Engineering Faculty Advisor: Dr. Shreya Raghavan

Delaney Couri,  communication, College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Advisor: Dr. Kristan Poirot

Carla M. A. de Loera,  entomology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Advisor: Dr. Hojun Song

Avi Kister,  chemical engineering, College of Engineering Faculty Advisor: Dr. Mahmoud El-Halwagi

Virginia Redwine Johnson,  curriculum and instruction, School of Education and Human Development Faculty Advisor: Dr. John Williams, III

Xiaoyu Su,  mathematics, College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Advisor: Dr. Guoliang Yu

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