Commencement Information

Commencement Ceremonies Schedule

Thursday, May 2

5:30 p.m. – The Bill & Jo-Ann Vandergriff College of Nursing and Health Sciences will conduct a pinning ceremony for the Associate of Nursing program and the Bachelor of Nursing Program. Further instructions for this ceremony will be sent to participants by their department. (Stream available at www.muw.edu/live)

Friday, May 3

Location	Ticket Distribution	Student Line of March	Guests Arrive for Ceremony		Ceremony Begins
Location	Parkinson Hall ( Map)	Painter Hall ( Map)	Whitfield Hall (College Street Doors)		Rent Auditorium Whitfield Hall
			Doors Open	Doors Close
College of Arts & Sciences Bill & Jo-Ann Vandergriff College of Nursing & Health Sciences (Associate of Nursing, Bachelor of Nursing, Doctorate of Nursing)	10:30 AM – 11:45 AM	12:00 PM	12:00 PM	12:45 PM	1:00 PM
Bill & Jo-Ann Vandergriff College of Nursing & Health Sciences (Kinesiology, Public Health, Speech-Language Pathology) College of Business & Professional Studies School of Education	1:30 PM – 2:45 PM	3:00 PM	3:00 PM	3:45 PM	4:00 PM

**Associate of Nursing, Bachelor of Nursing, and Doctorate of Nursing will march at the 1:00 p.m. ceremony.

**Speech-Language Pathology, Kinesiology, and Public Health majors will march at the 4:00 p.m. ceremony.

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Tickets and Seating

The ceremony format and times for our commencement exercises are based on the number of graduates who indicate that they plan to participate. The number of participants per ceremony will be based on the capacity limitations of Rent Auditorium on The W campus.

Each graduate will receive six tickets for their conferral ceremony. There are no extra tickets; however general admission will begin 15 minutes prior to each ceremony. Family and friends (including ALL children and infants) attending commencement MUST have an admission ticket to enter before general admission begins. Tickets will be picked up prior to the ceremony according to the time and location that is announced. Students will also have an opportunity to go by the Alumni designated area to pick up their swag. This will need to be given to one of your ticketed visitors prior to the ceremony. The Alumni station will be on site prior to the ceremony.

Arrival and Departure

The processional line of march will be formed in Painter Hall. Students should arrive one hour prior to the conferral ceremony in which they have been assigned to participate.

Doors will open to guests 60 minutes prior to each ceremony. Entry will be through the main (North) doors of Whitfield Hall. Guests should arrive as early as possible before the conferral ceremony in which their graduate has been assigned to participate. Doors will close at the start of to the ceremony and no additional guests will be allowed to enter.

Graduates and guests should depart Whitfield Hall through the side (East) door immediately after the ceremony, so the auditorium may be prepared for the next ceremony.

Please contact the Registrar’s Office prior to the week of commencement for handicap access instructions.

Interpreter

ASL interpretation will be provided during the ceremonies. Contact the Registrar’s Office prior to the week of commencement for special arrangements.

Public Health Measures

The conferral ceremonies will be live streamed for family members and loved ones to enjoy at home or on a phone, tablet, or computer. Facilities will be open on campus to view live stream broadcast.

Masks are not required.

Parking

The campus gate on 11th Street South and 3rd Avenue/Welty Drive will be closed during graduation.

Parking is available in any of the parking lots on campus. Street parking is available on College Street in designated spaces.

Please note: The east parking lot adjacent to 15th Street and the new Culinary Arts Building is closed for construction.

Handicap Parking

The parking lots on 3rd Avenue/Welty Drive (Whitfield Hall lot and Puckett Plaza lot) are designated for handicap parking during commencement.

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Graduation Frequently Asked Questions

How many tickets will each graduate receive?

Each graduate will receive six tickets.

How do I get my tickets?

Ticket distribution for a ceremony will begin 2.5 hours prior to the beginning of that ceremony. Graduates may not pick up tickets earlier than this time. Ticket distribution for a ceremony will end one hour and fifteen minutes prior to the beginning of the ceremony. Graduates should bring their student ID, some other form of identification, or be prepared to share the 950 number. Only graduates will be allowed to enter the ticket distribution area.

I am eligible for graduation with honors - how will I receive my honor cords?

Honor cords will be distributed to eligible spring 2024candidates when they pick up their tickets. Students who establish throughout their academic careers both an overall (includes The W and any out-of-residence work) and an W grade point average between 3.50 and 3.79 graduate cum laude; those who establish a grade point average between 3.80 and 3.94 graduate magna cum laude; and those with a grade point average between 3.95 and 4.0 graduate summa cum laude. Only students earning their first baccalaureate degree are eligible for these honors. For the purpose of determining eligibility to wear honor cords, these grade point averages are determined at the end of the spring 2024 semester. These honors are subject to change based on the final grades at the conclusion of the spring 2024 semester.

How do I join the Line of March?

Graduates should arrive at Painter Hall one hour prior to their degree conferral ceremony to be placed in the Line of March.

May I decorate my cap or wear other cords?

Everyone in the line is to wear academic regalia. The only Academic Regalia students are permitted to wear at Commencement is the regalia (mortar boards, gowns, master’s hoods, and Latin honor cords) issued by the Office of the Registrar and purchased through Barnes and Noble (https://gradsupply.com/muw/). You are not allowed to wear cords, pins, medallions, sashes, etc. of honors societies, sororities, fraternities, etc. Tassels are placed on the right and remain until told to move them to the left. Mortar boards are not to be tilted on the head --- they belong right on top. Graduates should wear black shoes, and any clothing not covered by the gown should be dark in color. Mortar boards and all other elements of Academic Regalia may not be modified or decorated.

When should my guests arrive?

Doors to Rent Auditorium will open one-hour prior to the beginning of the degree conferral ceremony. They will be closed at the start of the degree conferral ceremony. Guests should arrive to campus in time to park, meet their graduates to receive tickets from their graduates, and line up at Whitfield Auditorium.

What safety measures are in place for commencement?

Due to COVID-19, the following additional safety protocols will be in place:

Masks are not required; however, N95 masks will be available at the entrance.

Hand Sanitizer: Stations will be made available for the use of our graduates and guests.

Will I receive my diploma cover?

Yes, all graduates will receive a diploma cover at the Commencement ceremony. Degrees will be posted to transcripts and diplomas will be mailed later.

Can I bring an umbrella?

Yes. Although the ceremonies will take place indoors, there will be times when graduates and guests will be outdoors (e.g. moving from one location to another, standing in line). Graduates and guests are encouraged to be weather aware and take reasonable precautions to stay dry, if necessary.

Will there will be a faculty line of march?

Yes, the members of our faculty are very proud of each graduate and their accomplishments and are excited to celebrate with you.

What is a Degree Conferral Ceremony?

At the Degree Conferral Ceremony, there will be very brief comments, but the primary focus will be on the student’s walk across the stage. We are anticipating that the ceremony will last approximately half the length of a traditional ceremony.

Will the Degree Conferral Ceremonies be available online?

Yes, Degree Conferral Ceremonies will be streamed at www.muw.edu/live.

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