Commencement Day

No more than six credits may be outstanding after the end of the spring semester (including Incomplete grades, pending CBE/PLE credits,e and make-up credits for F’s or Withdrawals.)

Candidates whose spring grades make them ineligible for this year’s commencement ceremony will be notified as soon as possible after final grades are entered. If you are a prospective graduate and have questions about your eligibility to participate in commencement or your graduation status please contact the Office of Registration & Records.

Please use this form to contact the Office of Registration & Records

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Graduating seniors should arrive at Benaroya Hall for check-in at 12:00 PM on Monday, May 16. Rehearsal and department photos will follow check-in. Candidates must pick up their processional card at check-in to ensure that your name is called during the ceremony.

Graduation rehearsal begins at 1:00 before the line-up for the processional. Processional line up begins at 1:30 PM. 

• Candidate Check in 12:00 pm to 12:45 pm
• Candidate Rehearsal 12:45 pm to 1:10 pm
• Departmental Photo 1:15 to 1:40
• Candidate Processional Line-up 1:40 pm to 2:00pm
• Commencement Ceremony begins promptly at 2:00 pm

Candidates may order regalia beginning March 1 through the Herff Jones website.  Regalia will be available for purchase until April 5. Diplomas are not given out at the ceremony. Final degree awards will be posted to the academic record within 30 days of the last day of the semester. Diplomas will be mailed following the final graduation audit; for most students diplomas will be mailed by August 1.  Candidates must provide the Registration & Records Office with the address where you would like your diploma sent; you can give us this in person or on your graduation application on Compass.

Faculty seated in the reserved section are asked to wear academic regalia.  Faculty may purchase or rent regalia beginning March 1 through the Herff Jones website.  The Herff Jones Website will close for orders on April 15.

Candidates may pick up complimentary, non-personalized graduation announcements from the Registration & Records Office beginning in early April. Each graduating student will receive ten complimentary announcements. In mid-April, unclaimed announcements will be released to students who would like extras. Invitations are not required for guests to attend the ceremony.

Candidates are nominated by departments or faculty, or they may self-nominate and submit a speech for consideration as the commencement student speaker. The student speaker selection committee will select one student to give the student address at the ceremony on behalf of the graduating class. A call for submissions will be sent out in the Fall semester, and proposed speeches will be due March 1, 2022. The student speaker will be selected shortly thereafter.

Contact the Office of Registration and Records to submit a speech for consideration.

Student Speech applications will be considered based on the following guidelines:

• The nominees are graduates from fall of 2021 or spring of 2022
• The nominees are in good disciplinary standing 
• The speech is complete – nominees may want to schedule an appointment with the Writing Lab to review the speech as it is being drafted.
• The speech runs between 3 and 4 minutes long

Consider the following when drafting the speech:

• Use language that is inspiring, easily understandable and accessible
• The audience is broad and diverse
• Tell stories using metaphors, favorite quotes and humor
• Focus on the full class and avoid calling out instructors or classmates.  

Candidates, Families and Friends

Cornish will provide two unique opportunities for candidates and their guests to have their photos taken before or after the ceremony:  1) a special backdrop with professional photographers will be located in the Lobby and 2) a selfie station also set i the lobby.  Photos from the photo booth will be printed on demand at the event free of charge and also uploaded to a dedicated website after the event for purchase.  A photograph of each candidate will be taken as they exit the stage with the diploma cover – these photographs will also be made available for purchase after the event by 321foto.com, owned by Alum, Marilee Kimbal (2000).  More details will be sent out to candidates after the ceremony.  

Department Photos

Department photographs with faculty and chair will be taken and uploaded to the 321foto.com website for viewing after the event.  Department photos will take place in the main lobby between 1:15 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Tickets are not required for entry to the ceremony.  Guests should plan to arrive 30 minutes prior to the ceremony start time of 2:00 pm.  Seating is available both on the main floor auditorium and in the balconies.

Diplomas will be mailed to Graduates by August 1, 2022.  Candidates will receive a diploma cover and congratulatory insert at the ceremony.  The diploma will automatically be sent to the diploma address provided on the Application for Graduation.  Please be sure that the diploma address provided is valid between July 1 and August 15, 2022. 

Yes, candidates who receive honors will be recognized during the ceremony, in the ceremony program, on their transcript and on their diploma.  One note of explanation:  since final grades for the spring semester are not received until after the commencement program is printed, we use the cumulative GPA computed at the end of the Fall 2021 semester for the program.  Recognition on diplomas and final transcripts will reflect Latin hours based on the spring semester 2022 cumulative GPA.  Latin honors used by the college are:  Summa Cum Laude (3.90 to 4.00), Magna Cum Laude (3.72-3.89), and Cum Laude (3.55-3.71).  Students may find current GPA on the unofficial transcript via Compass. 

Benaroya Hall will provide a complimentary coat check for grads, or you should ask a friend/family member to hold onto your belongings for you.