JMU Commencement-Graduation Specifics

Specifics for the Graduating Students

Make certain that you have completed the items listed on the Graduation Checklist. In addition, you may want to review the letter from the Office of the Registrar again. You can check whether or not you have submitted your application for graduation by going here.

Rehearsal
There is no rehearsal for May commencement. More information will be posted here in March and April.

Dress
Commencement is a formal ceremony and dress should reflect this. Please refrain from wearing clothing such as flip-flops, sneakers or jeans. Business attire is considered appropriate, however, weather considerations should be made as the ceremony is outdoors. Also, consideration should be made when selecting footwear. The ceremonies take place all across campus and significant walking may be required. In addition, significant amounts of standing are possible.

Processional
Seniors must be in the processional line by 8:00 on the morning of commencement.

Students must line up with their individual colleges (not alphabetically). All marching lines will form at designated assembly points located at the scoreboard end of the stadium. Lines for the Colleges of Business and Integrated Science and Technology will form at designated points outside the gate on the Godwin Hall side of the field and enter the stadium through the north gate. Lines for the Colleges of Arts and Letters, Education, Graduate and Professional Programs and Science and Mathematics, and will form lines at designated points on the Showker Hall/Newman Lake side of the field and enter the stadium through the south gate. See map for details.

They will be guided to their seats in the Stadium by the junior marshals.

Upon reaching your row, please move quickly into it and to your chair to prevent the backing up of the line. Be seated until the faculty procession begins. When the faculty procession begins, please stand and remain standing until the platform party has been seated on the stage.

Decorum
A traditional academic ritual, participants must wear academic regalia. This means: no signs, no bottles, no beach balls, no balloons, no cans, no drugs, and no alcohol. Graduates choosing not to abide by these rules will not be allowed in the stadium or will be escorted from the ceremony.

Residence Halls Closing
Residence halls will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 2 for undergraduates. Graduating seniors may stay until 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 3.

Dining Services
On Friday, May 2, Dining Services closes at 2 p.m. for undergraduates. Dining services closes and spring meal plans end at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 3 for graduating seniors.