Winter Commencement Newsletter

Senior Compass is a non-credit Canvas course all undergraduate students must complete the semester leading up to graduation. Once you apply to graduate, the Senior Compass Hold will be placed on your account automatically at the beginning of the semester in which you intend to graduate; the hold will be removed once the two Senior Compass requirements are completed.

Email SeniorCompass@jmu.edu or visit jmu.edu/SeniorCompass for more information.

Ticketing windows closed on December 3rd at noon. If you are eligible to graduate in the Winter 2025 ceremony and have not reserved your tickets, please contact JMUGrad@jmu.edu.

Transfer instructions will be sent from the Ticketing Office to graduates the week of commencement. Should you have issues with transferring your tickets, please contact the Athletic Ticketing Office at 540-568-3853. 

The graduate registration that was emailed out at the beginning of November has ended. If you missed the deadline for the Tassel registration and still plan to walk at commencement, please follow the instructions below. 

1. Arrive to the arena at least by 9:00 a.m. 
2. If you have been emailed a seat assignment the week of commencement, proceed to your seat. 
3. Verify the phonetic spelling of your name on the card.
4. Do not write on the name card. Our reader pronounces graduate names based on their notes. 
5. Should there be issues with your phonetic spelling, you will need to visit the ‘Name Pronunciation’ table on the graduate floor.
6. Should there be issues with your name on your card, please visit the ‘Name Card’ table right outside the entrance to the graduate floor.

Should you have questions or need direction, there will be JMU staff members on the floor to assist you. 

The doors will open at 8:30 a.m. however, graduates should plan to arrive at the arena no later than 9:30 a.m. 

Guests may enter via the Plaza or Champion entrances. Guests must have a ticket to enter. If you are traveling as a group and enter the arena at the same time, one guest may have all tickets in their Apple or Google wallet. If your group will be traveling and entering the arena as separate groups, make sure tickets have been transferred for each guest. 

Graduates, you will enter the Plaza Entrance (closest to the Ticketing Office) using the designated doors labeled “Graduates”. You will proceed to the graduate floor to find your assigned seat before 9:45 a.m. 

Traffic around the AUBC will be congested so we suggest that your family and guests arrive early to avoid the congestion. Parking is available in Ballard Parking Deck and surrounding lots across from Festival Conference and Student Center.

Bag checks and metal detectors will be utilized at all entrances. We encourage you to leave unnecessary bags at home or in your car, if possible, to speed up the process of entering the ceremonies. We will not implement the clear-bag policy for commencement. 

Prohibited Items: 

• Alcoholic beverages, controlled substances, weapons, fireworks 
• Animals (service animals are permitted, to see the policy click here) 
• Bags larger than 12”x12”x12” 
• Coolers 
• Glass and metal containers 
• Noise makers and other devices that impede the ceremonies 
• Food and beverages (though one unopened bottle of water per person and food for a baby or for health reasons are permitted.) Concessions open when doors open and are located throughout the arena. 
• Signs, flags, banners, or obscene or indecent clothing 
• Large Strollers (umbrella style are permitted) 
• Wheelies, bicycles and skateboards 
• Wrapped gifts 

Allowed Items: 

• One unopened bottle of water per person 
• Small strollers (umbrella style) 
• Flowers 
• Still cameras are permitted. However, in no instance may photography interfere with access ways, aisles, or other guests' enjoyment of the ceremonies. Video cameras, monopods and tripods are not permitted. This event will be live-streamed. 

Graduates, you should enter the arena using the Plaza Entrance doors – specifically the two doors that are farthest to the right. Your guests may enter at any of the other doors. You will be asked by event/security personnel to unzip your gown as they look for prohibited items.

The following lots are within a short walking distance to the Atlantic Union Bank Center: 

Ballard Parking Deck (East Campus Parking Deck) – 649 University Blvd. Please note that you must access the deck via University Blvd. 

Lots D3, C12, and R4 – 1400 Carrier Drive (these lots are across from the Festival Center. 

Accessible parking is located on every level of the Ballard Parking Deck (the parking deck adjacent to the Atlantic Union Bank Center). 

Campus and parking maps are available on the JMU website.

Graduates will be seated alphabetically by college, then alphabetically by major, followed by alphabetically by last name. 

You will receive an email with your section, row, and seat number the week of commencement. 

There will be event staff on the graduate floor to assist you in finding your seat. 

There is no place to store purses, jackets or other personal belongings, so please give those items to family members to safeguard. 

Your name will be called from a pre-printed name card as you walk across the stage at commencement. 

Name cards will be placed on your assigned seat (seat assignment sent via email). 

When you stand to begin to process the stage during the calling of names, please ensure you have your name card in your hand. An event staff member will scan your card and THEN you will hand your card to the reader as you begin to cross the stage. 

If you need to give instruction on the pronunciation of your name prior to the ceremony, please see the reader before 9:20 a.m. She will be on the floor level of the AUBC to the left of the stage, as you look from your graduate chair on the floor 

Closed captioning will be available during the ceremony on a large screen to the right side of the stage. Please see an usher who will direct you to the best seating in relation to the captioning monitor. 

JMU will provide American Sign Language interpreters for the ceremony held in the Atlantic Union Bank Center. The interpreter will appear on the video board for viewers to follow along. The sign language interpreters will not sign graduate names during the ceremony. 

The winter commencement ceremony will be live-streamed on the JMU website and displayed across social media platforms for online viewers. The live-stream will include captioning. 

Marcus D. Jones is the city manager for the City of Charlotte, which operates under a council-manager form of government. The City Council sets policy objectives, and the city manager runs the day-to-day operations of the city, ensuring city operations and business are carried out and administered effectively and in alignment with City Council policy objectives. Jones maintains fiscal stewardship over the city’s $3.2 billion budget in addition to operations of the city’s 20 departments. These responsibilities include community safety, economic development, public transit (bus and light rail), as well as the Charlotte airport (CLT). 

Jones is a respected leader in government affairs at the city, regional and national levels. He is immersed in the Charlotte community, fostering and developing relationships in the business, arts and culture, philanthropic and faith-based communities. He is an active board member with the Leading on Opportunity Task Force, Charlotte Center City Partners, Envision Charlotte, TreesCharlotte, YMCA, Charlotte Regional Business Alliance executive committee and the National Forum for Black Public Administrators. 

Jones’ energetic and collaborative approach to government and business has transformed organizations to become action-oriented, guided by the city vision and strategy. He challenges teams to innovate and develop partnerships internally and across the community, resulting in long-term, sustainable programs that support upward mobility, job growth and economic development; improved community safety; and stronger city and regional brands. 

Jones has more than 25 years of public service experience at the city and state level. His prior experience includes serving as the city manager, assistant city manager and budget director for the City of Norfolk. He also served as the deputy chief administrative officer for Richmond, Virginia, and the deputy secretary of finance for two governors in the Commonwealth of Virginia. While serving with the state government, Jones gained a strong reputation for his ability to negotiate complex financial and legislative issues across party lines. 

Jones earned his bachelor’s degree in public administration from James Madison University and a master’s in public administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. 

You may purchase your regalia package (cap, gown, hood, and tassel) online through the JMU Bookstore to ship to your preferred destination. The deadline to order regalia online is December 3rd. Additionally, you may stop in at the JMU Bookstore, as they have regalia available for purchase on-site. 

When you are obtaining your regalia, you will need to provide height, weight, and degree (i.e., B.A., B.S., M.M., etc.). This will ensure that you are provided the correct regalia package that fits your needs and aligns with your degree. The tassel and hood color will correspond with your degree. 

If you are a student graduating with Latin honors (GPA of 3.5 or higher), you will need a gold honors cord. Honors cords are for eligible undergraduate students only; these do not pertain to master’s or doctoral programs. Note: This is not for Honor’s College graduates and is based on GPA requirements. If you are receiving this honor, you should have received an email from The Office of the Registrar. For questions, please contact graduation@jmu.edu. 

The Stole of Gratitude is an additional option that is available for purchase. The Stole of Gratitude offers an opportunity to say, ''Thank You'' for the moral or financial support provided to help make your commencement a reality. 

The following amenities will be available at the commencement ceremonies: 

• Concessions will be available prior to and during commencement. There are two locations for concession stands in Atlantic Union Bank Center. Both are located on the Champions-side of the arena. 

• The Team Store will be open for guests and graduates to purchase JMU memorabilia: T-shirts, Diploma Frames, Alumni gear and much more! 

• Outside the Team Store, Blakemore’s Flowers will be available for guests to purchase flowers for their graduate.