Graduate Commencement Guide

Invitation distribution begins at GradFest, which will be held on Wednesday, April 19, 2023 from 2:00-6:00 p.m. and Thursday, April 20, 2023 from 12:00-4:00 p.m. in the St. Germain Campus Center Mall Area.

If you are unable to pick up your invitation and tickets during GradFest, you can pick them up at the bookstore anytime prior to Commencement. The Blue and Gold Campus Bookstore hours are Mon-Thurs, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Fri, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Each graduate is provided with a maximum of 10 tickets. If you are having your regalia shipped, your invitations and tickets will be included in the package. 

For those individuals who have larger numbers of immediate family members, please email records@wne.edu to add your extra ticket requests to our wait list. The tickets will be disseminated on a first come, first-serve basis.

Caps and gowns will be available for purchase at GradFest, which will be held on Wednesday, April 19, 2023 from 2:00-6:00 p.m. and Thursday, April 20, 2023 from 12:00-4:00 p.m. in the St. Germain Campus Center Mall Area.

If you are unable to pick up your cap and gown during GradFest, you can pick it up at the bookstore during business hours any time prior to Commencement.  

Graduates are advised to report to the Caprio Alumni Healthful Living Center between 1:00 and 1:15 p.m. on Sunday, May 21. They should enter the campus by way of the access road next to the Church in the Acres on Wilbraham Road and enter the building through the rear door of the Multipurpose Room. Parking is available in the lot behind the Caprio Alumni Healthful Living Center. Graduating seniors must check in and should be dressed in their caps and gowns, as well as appropriate attire. Only graduates who check-in will have their names read during the ceremony. There will be no rehearsal.

As a courtesy to all graduates and their families, please plan to remain throughout the entire Commencement proceedings, which generally run 2 hours.

Photographs will be taken of each graduate as they receive congratulations from President Johnson.

As soon as your Commencement photos are processed, graduates and their families will be able to view and purchase their photos online.

All August 2022, October 2022, December 2022, and May 2023 graduates are eligible to participate in the Commencement ceremony. Graduates are asked to notify Enrollment Services at 413-796-2080 immediately if they change their mind about participating in the Commencement ceremony.

Graduates who will be within six credits of graduation as of May 21, 2023, may be eligible to participate in the Commencement ceremony. A Participation Request Form must be sent to the Dean's office prior to April 30, 2023.

Reasonable accommodations are available upon request for people with disabilities for all WNE-sponsored graduation activities and Commencement day. If you are a graduating student with a disability or will have a guest with a disability present, please request accommodations through the office of Student Accessibility Services (SAS) before April 1, 2023, by emailing your request to accessibility@wne.edu.

Accessible parking near the Caprio Alumni Healthful Living Center is limited to vehicles with designated license plates or placards. Elderly guests may be dropped off in front of the Caprio Alumni Healthful Living Center. The University does not provide wheelchairs for guests.

Assisted listening devices are available for use during Commencement. Please contact Bill Arnold, Senior Manager of Media Services, at 413-782-1639 to reserve a device.

The Commencement ceremony will be streamed live on the University website starting at 2:00 p.m. on May 21, 2023, at wne.edu/commencement.