Graduating Student Ceremony Instructions

Instructions are for both undergraduate and graduate students. If an instruction applies to only one group, it will be labeled as such.

Before you come to campus

• Give your guests their tickets
• Tickets are for a specific event; make sure you have the correct ticket:
  • Graduate School - orange ticket - Saturday, May 19 at 5 p.m.
  • Harpur College Morning - pink ticket - Sunday, May 20 at 8:30 a.m.
  • Professional Schools - green ticket - Sunday, May 20 at 12 p.m.
  • Harpur College Afternoon - blue ticket - Sunday, May 20 at 3:30 p.m.
• Make sure you have your completed photography card, cap, gown, tassel and
  
  • Stole of Gratitude (white sash) - Undergraduates only
  • Hood - Master's only
  • Note: Doctoral candidates -  your hood will be provided at the ceremony
• Make a plan with your family/friends about where to meet outside of the Events Center after the ceremony
• Leave all personal belongings with family/friends.

Arrive on campus

• Arrive at the West Gym one (1) hour prior to your ceremony's start time
  • Graduate School - arrive 4 p.m.; ceremony start: 5 p.m.
  • Harpur Morning - arrive 7:30 a.m.; ceremony start: 8:30 a.m.
  • Professional Schools - arrive at 11 a.m.; ceremony start: 12 p.m.
  • Harpur Afternoon - arrive 2:30 p.m.; ceremony start: 3:30 p.m.

Student Check-In

• Graduate Students
  
  • Check-in with staff and receive your name card
    • The name card will be given to the name reader as you ascend the stage stairs
  • Turn in your completed photographer card
• Undergraduate Students
  
  • Check-in with staff
  • If you wish to have a commencement portrait taken, proceed to photograph line with your completed photography card (received with cap and gown from the bookstore)
• All students
  
  • You must remain in the check-in area after you have signed in until it is time to line up for the processional
  • Do not leave personal items in the West Gym; the space will not be secured during the ceremony

Processional (entering ceremony)

• Approximately 30 minutes prior to the ceremony start time, you will begin to line up by school/division in two columns
  • Look for your School/Division 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
• Doctoral Candidates only: Doctoral candidates should stand in line behind their faculty advisor

Ceremony

• Graduate Students will be called up on stage by school in the following order
  
  • Doctoral candidates
  • Masters candidates
    • Harpur
    • CCPA
    • Decker
    • Graduate School of Education
    • School of Management
    • Watson
  • All students walk across the stage, shake hands with the President and receive a certificate and diploma cover
  • Return to your seat, but remain standing until your school is instructed to be seated by your dean
• Undergraduate Students will not walk across the stage
  • Students will be recognized en mass with their fellow students

Recessional (leaving ceremony)

• When it is time to leave the Events Center, everyone on stage will leave first
• School and Student Marshals leave next
• Students will be excused from each row, front to back
• 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