The College of Design's spring graduation convocation will take place from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 10. The event begins with a reception for graduating students and their families in the Lyle E. Lightfoot Forum (atrium), followed by a recognition ceremony at 10 a.m. No cap/gown required! Formal invitations were mailed to candidates for graduation and their families the week of April 14.

 

Students should check in at the tables set up in the foyer (area outside the Dean's Office) when they arrive on May 10. They will then be directed to a designated area to line up for the procession at the start of the ceremony. Families and guests may find their seats at that time. (Please see note about limited seating availability below.) If you have questions or need assistance throughout the morning, look for our ambassadors wearing red carnations--they will be able to help you.

 

Procession and Ceremony 

Graduates will process together down the central staircase and into the forum (atrium) and will be seated as a group in Gallery 181. The ceremony will be simulcast in the gallery and in Kocimski Auditorium and room 130 (overflow seating for families and guests) so all may participate. When each graduating student's name is called, he/she will walk across the stage (located in the forum) and be congratulated by college faculty and administrators, then return to his/her seat in the gallery until the ceremony ends.

 

Families may take pictures as their graduate walks across the stage, and there will be an opportunity for additional photos after the ceremony. Jolesch Photography will take professional photos. Students will receive proofs, both in the mail and electronically, at the addresses they provided when they RSVP'd for graduation. If you are interested in ordering photos, instructions to do so will be included with the proofs.

 

We expect nearly 1,500 guests to attend the ceremony. There is seating for about 300 in the north forum with an additional 240 seats in the auditorium and some seating in room 130. (Seating is first come, first served--there is no guaranteed seating.) The remaining guests in attendance will need to stand on the upper levels of the building to overlook the ceremony. We also ask that all guests keep the main stairway clear until after the ceremony has begun, as graduates will be processing down the stairs and into the gallery prior to the start of the ceremony.

 

 

 

We look forward to recognizing the accomplishments of all of our graduates and to wishing them a personal farewell.