Graduating Student Ceremony Instructions

Before you come to campus

• Give your guests their tickets
• Make sure you have your cap, gown, tassel and completed photographer card
  
  • Undergraduates: stole (white sash)
  • Masters: hood
  • Doctoral: your hood will be provided at the ceremony
• Leave all personal belongings with family/friends.

Arrive on campus

• Arrive at the Events Center no later than 11 a.m. on Sunday, December 11, 2011
• Enter through the “Graduating Student & Faculty” entrance, not through the main entrance
• Follow the signs to the NW corner stairwell; report to the student check-in area behind the stage on the event floor

Student Check-In

• Check-in with staff and receive your name card
  • The name card will be given to the name reader as you enter the stage
• Turn in your completed photographer card
• You must remain in the check-in area after you have signed in until it is time to line up for the processional

Processional (entering ceremony)

• At approximately 11:30 a.m. you will begin to line up by school in two columns
  • Look for your School Marshal and Student Marshal for assistance who will lead you through the processional
  • If there is a friend you wish to sit with, make sure he/she is directly behind you in line
• The marshals will turn to face you as you are seated by the ushers
• Move to your seat, but do not sit until directed to do so by the administrator on stage

Ceremony

• Students will be called up on stage by school in the following order
  
  • Doctoral candidates
  • Masters candidates
  • Undergraduates (CCPA, SOM, Watson, Harpur)
• All students walk across the stage, shake hands with the President and receive a certificate
• Return to your seat, but remain standing until your school is instructed to be seated by your dean

Recessional (leaving ceremony)

• When it is time to leave the Events Center, everyone on stage will leave first
• Students exit behind their Student and School Marshals in the following order
  
  • Doctoral candidates
  • Masters candidates
  • Undergraduates (Harpur, Watson, SOM, CCPA)
• You will be led out the same way you entered, through the tunnels at the rear of the Events Center
• Plan to meet your guests after the completion of the recessional; do not break the line and head into the audience