Commencement preparation information

Schedule | Graduation Information | Hooding | Invitations and Tickets | Regalia
Celebration of Student Academic Achievement | Photos and Videos | Hometown Publicity

Schedule

Complete Commencement weekend schedule

Timeline and information for graduation

Hooding

Traditionally, the graduating student’s thesis advisor (mentor) attends and participates in Commencement by hooding their student. All graduating students must notify the GSBS office by April 13 if their thesis advisor will be attending Commencement and hooding them. If you have a co-thesis advisor and wish to be hooded by both at Commencement, include this in your notification. A faculty member will be appointed to hood students whose thesis advisors are unable to participate.
    NOTE: Seating for faculty participating in Commencement is arranged in advance and cannot be rearranged on the day of graduation.

Invitations and tickets

Graduates and their guests are invited to Commencement and all Commencement events; tickets are required for the ceremony. You may invite as many guests as you want, but you must provide each guest with a ticket in order that we may provide sufficient seating, food and parking. E-mail Gaile Arcouette by Friday, April 27, to reserve the number of tickets you want; Gaile will contact you when they are delivered. Then, as your plans firm up, request additional tickets by e-mail and return any unused tickets to the GSBS Office.
   Reserved seating for handicapped guests and three companions will be held until 11:45 a.m., at which time the seats will be released for open seating.  Please make a request for such accommodations in advance:  inform Gaile if you will have any guests that will need special seating arrangements (wheelchair seating, vision or hearing impaired, etc.).

Regalia

University Cap & Gown has been selected to provide your Commencement regalia, which will be paid for by the GSBS. Gaile Arcouette will contact you with the details. If you are still on campus and if you have not already done so, go to the GSBS Office to be measured for your tam. The hood and tassel provided for Commencement are yours to keep.
    Tams and gowns are rented and must be returned in the original bag, which has your name on it, to the GSBS Office no later than Monday, June 4.

Celebration of Student Academic Achievement

You are cordially invited to attend an award ceremony and reception in the Faculty Conference Room on Friday, June 1, at 3 p.m. following Commencement rehearsal. Dean Carruthers will welcome GSBS graduates, first-year students, faculty and alumni at this event.

Please RSVP by May 28, 2012 using this online form. You can also RSVP using your smartphone here.

    Questions regarding this event may be directed to Susan Prentice Foley at 508-856-3520 or via e-mail at susan.foley2@umassmed.edu.

Commencement photos and video 

A group photo will be taken on Campus Green at aproximately 11 a.m. on Sunday. Be sure to wear your regalia for this photo.
    An individual photograph will be taken of you as you receive your hood during the ceremony. If you wish to purchase a photo, you may order directly from the photographer using this form.
    A video recording of the entire Commencement ceremony will be available. If you wish to purchase a copy of the full-length DVD, please use this form.

Hometown publicity