COMMENCEMENT DAY
• Doors open at 1:30 pm for GRADUATES. Arrive NO LATER than 2:15 pm. If something
comes up and you cannot attend, it’s not a problem. You don’t have to notify us.
• Doors open at 2 pm for GUESTS (Guests enter at Gates 2, 3 or 4 only)
• Graduates should not bring ANY bags, backpacks or purses.
1. Graduates will enter College Park Center (CPC) through the GATE 1 ENTRY near the
intersection of Spaniolo Drive and 3rd Street.
• Doors will open at 1:30. Arrive no later than 2:30.
• Graduates must have a ticket to enter the GATE 1 ENTRY. If you do not have a ticket,
you must have ID and a police officer will be at that entry to verify your identity.
• ONLY graduating students and faculty will be allowed to enter through these doors. A
staff member will direct you to the correct check-in location.
• You must wear regalia (cap and gown) to participate. Master's and Ph.D. candidates
must also have hoods. NO EXCEPTIONS. Master's students may don their hoods before
or upon arrival. Ph.D. students will be hooded on stage.
2. Find your assembly location:
• Ph.D. candidates and Master's Candidates: Practice Gym A (first gym on the right when
you get to the bottom of the stairs inside Gate 1)
• Bachelor's Candidates: Practice Gym B (second gym on the right when you get to the
bottom of the stairs inside Gate 1)
3. Check in at the Registration table. You will receive a card with your information on it. Do not
fold, roll or lose your card.
• The Announcer will names of graduates from the cards they are handed, not from a list.
• Do not fold, roll or otherwise damage it.
• Hold onto it and take it to the stage with you.
• Give it to the Announcer at the top of the ramp.
• Leave your program at your seat.
4. Fill out the information on the back of the name card. This is there for the photographer to
be able to send you a proof of your photograph(s).
5. Find the color-coded rows for your department that match the color of your name card and
find your seat:
• Students will be lining up alphabetically within each department. Namecards and seats
have a row and seat number so you can easily find your place.
• PhD graduates are grouped together (neon pink cards/signs):
o Students will be lining up by department (BE, CE, CSE, EE, IMSE, MSE, MAE) and
then alphabetically within each department.
o If two students have the same supervising (hooding) professor, you will be in
order by the last name that comes first in the alphabet
6. Listen to instructions provided by the announcer
7. Follow the line leader in a single file line to your seat in the Arena.
8. Stay standing at your seat in the Arena until told to sit.