Commencement Information

Class of 2012

Seniors who have been cleared for graduation and whose names appear on the official graduation list from the Office of the Registrar, may begin to pick up their commencement tickets beginning on Monday, March 5 in the Office of Conferences, Suite 215A of the Campus Recreation Center. Tickets may be picked up with a student id during the hours of 8:30am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday.

From the Office of Registrar

Graduation Status

All students who are cleared for graduation will be included on the Registrar's Office Graduation List on their website and posted in their office. This list will be posted the first week of March and is updated every Friday. Questions regarding your status as a potential graduate should be directed to Anabela in the Registrar’s Office at (401) 254-3510.

Mailing Addresses

All graduates should be sure that the Registrar’s Office has the most updated mailing address on record so that important information and your diploma will reach you. There is a form on the Registrar’s website to make these changes.

From Commencement Office

Accommodations

If you have not done so, please think about booking accommodations for your guests as soon as possible. For your convenience, we have listed local accommodations.

Tickets
Each graduate will receive 6 tickets for seating under the Commencement tent. Small children who will be sitting on a lap are not required to have a ticket. Fire regulations prohibit any guest to stand on the outskirts of the tent. Everyone must be seated and seating is on a first come, first served basis. Graduates may invite as many guests as they would like, but must realize that seating under the tent is limited to 6 tickets per graduate. There will be no extra tickets given.

Saturday Office Hours For Ticket Pick Up for those graduates who can't make it in during regular business hours. The office will also be open on Saturday, April 28 (Spring Weekend) from 11am-1pm. Graduates who are out of state/out of the country and can't come to campus to pick up tickets, should contact Debbie Burgo at (401) 254-3067 to make arrangements.

Simulcast of Ceremony
The ceremony will be simulcast in the Campus Recreation Center Gymnasium and in the Law School, Room 283, for additional guests. No tickets are needed at either of these locations. Graduates may invite as many guests as they would like but realize that seating under the tent is limited to 6 tickets per graduate.

The Ceremony
The Commencement Ceremony will begin precisely at 10:00am on Saturday, May 19, 2012 under the tent on the main athletic field, rain or shine. Graduates must arrive at the Campus Recreation Center Fieldhouse at 8:15am. Instructions for lining up will begin at 8:45am and the procession for graduates will promptly leave the Campus Recreation Center at 9:30am.

Graduates who arrive late will not be allowed to join the ceremony. Graduate students will lead the procession in front of the undergraduates in their designated schools.

Family members may ask how long the ceremony will last. To be safe, we estimate that you allow at least two and a half hours from the start of the ceremony. An informal reception for each respective school follows the ceremony and we encourage graduates and their guests to attend these gatherings. The locations for these receptions will be listed in the commencement program you will receive at the ceremony. If you would like to stay on campus for lunch, Bon Appetit puts on a wonderful commencement luncheon in the Upper Commons. Please see the section on the luncheon for more details.

Guest Seating
Guests must be seated no later than 9:30am as that is the time the procession begins. While we encourage guests to arrive early, no one is allowed to take their seat before 8:00am and no one may reserve seats. Fire regulations prohibit any guest to stand on the outskirts of tent. Everyone must be seated.

Commencement Slide Show Pictures
Interested in immortalizing your college years at Commencement? These photos will be shown in a slideshow prior to the procession at the Commencement Ceremony. Please note: these photos will not be used in the yearbook. Please submit appropriate photos only on a disk to the Department of Conferences located in the Campus Recreation Center, Room 215, or e-mail to: commencement@rwu.edu. All photos must be submitted by May 1, 2012.

Commemorative DVD
The University is proud to offer each graduate a free DVD copy of the ceremony which will be sent to your home address with your diploma in late June.

For questions or concerns, please email: commencement@rwu.edu.

Events & Receptions

The Commencement Ball will take place on Saturday, May 12th from 6:00 pm-1:00 am at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, Rhode Island. Hotel rooms are available at the Westin. More information on ticket prices and sales dates will be available through the Department of Student Programs and Leadership at (401)254-3088.

Commencement Family Dinner

Join us for a RWU tradition. Graduates, their families and friends are invited to attend the Parent Dinner at the Venus de Milo in Somerset, MA for a buffet dinner and celebration of Commencement 2012 on Friday, May 18. Details will be posted soon.

Rehearsal & Senior BBQ
There will be a rehearsal on Thursday May 17, 2012 at 12:15pm in Campus Recreation Center Fieldhouse for all graduating seniors. All graduating seniors must attend this rehearsal as instructions regarding the ceremony will be given at that time. After rehearsal, enjoy the Senior BBQ at Colt State Park! There will be free food, prizes and giveaways. Free to all RWU seniors with a ticket that will be given when you pick up your Commencement tickets!

A President’s Reception in honor of your graduation will take place on Wednesday, May 16th. Please check the Commencement web site for updated information as it becomes available.

A Graduate Hooding Ceremony will be held on Tuesday, May 15, beginning at 6:00 pm in the Campus Recreation Center Gymnasium. This ceremony is for all graduate students completing their Masters degree. A formal invitation will be mailed to you with all of the details. You may invite up to 6 guests to attend this ceremony. Please RSVP by calling Debbie Burgo at 401-254-3067. The deadline to RSVP is May 5, 2011.

The Intercultural Center Senior Brunch will be held on Thursday, May 17 from 9:30am-12pm in the Intercultural Center. This brunch, by invitation only, celebrates seniors who embrace diversity and have exemplified intercultural learning while at RWU. For more information, call 401-254-3121.

Commencement Brunch is open for reservations now! This brunch, held in our Upper Commons Dining Room ,is a family favorite.  Enjoy an all you can eat buffet with family and friends. Avoid the hassle of making reservations at busy local restaurants and celebrate with fellow RWU graduate and families.  Visit Commencement Brunch  for more information.

School Receptions
Informal reception for each respective school follows the ceremony and we encourage graduates and their guests to attend these gatherings. The locations for these receptions will be listed in the commencement program you will receive at the ceremony.

From the Public Safety Office

Parking & Accommodations for Graduates & Guests with Disabilities or Special Needs
Due to the large number of graduates and guests participating in the ceremony, parking on campus will be difficult. Graduates living on campus must park in Lot J or the parking garage only. Guests and graduates arriving from off campus must enter through the North Campus Road and park in the North Parking Lots (lots F, H and I). No parking will be allowed in the lots surrounding the Campus Recreation Center. Campus shuttles will run throughout the day to transport graduates and their guests to and from the ceremony and receptions. Please plan on arriving early.

Commencement Parking Map

Graduates or guests with disabilities or special needs should submit their request by completing the online form located below by May 56, 2012:

Assisted Parking & Seating Form

Pets
University policy prohibits bringing pets on campus grounds and in buildings unless it is a service animal.

From the Bookstore

Graduation Announcements
Celebrate the good news of your achievement with the following: Personalized college announcements, which include the student’s name, degree and major, along with text for the school’s commencement ceremony. Inner and outer envelopes are included in various packages. We also offer envelope seals, with either a gold or silver foil appliqué, for sealing announcement outer envelopes in style, and personalized address labels to provide a more formal, finished look. The announcement display is located at the Bookstore and can be ordered with Balfour via telephone at 1.877.BALFOUR (225-3687), or online.

Please keep in mind that Announcements are NOT tickets to Commencement.

Caps and Gowns
Caps and gowns are provided free of charge to all graduating students. Details for distribution of caps and gowns will be made shortly. Caps and gowns will continue to be distributed at the University Bookstore up until the day BEFORE commencement, May 18th.

All undergraduate day graduates are required to complete a brief online survey sponsored by the Career Center before picking up their cap and gown. Information gathered by this survey will help the Career Center with statistics when reporting to the University community regarding the employment and graduation rates of RWU’s newest graduates.

Graduates can log on to complete this quick survey. Each day, the Career Center will provide a list of students who have completed the survey to the Bookstore.Only those graduates who are on this list will be able to pick up their cap and gown.

Diploma Frames
Choose from six (6) styles of diploma frames to display your degree. Diploma frames are displayed in the Bookstore and on their website.

Flowers
A professional florist, COMMENCEMENT FLOWERS INC., will be on hand before and during our Commencement ceremony. COMMENCEMENT FLOWERS INC. will be located near the front entrance to the commencement tent. Flowers can be purchased when you arrive on campus. Or if you prefer, pre-orders will be accepted by visiting their website. All pre-ordered flowers will be available for pickup at Commencement.

Rings
The Bookstore displays an assortment of college rings from our ring vendor Balfour. Catalogs are available in the store or interested students can get in touch with Balfour via telephone at 1.877.BALFOUR (225-3687), or online.

From the Career Center

Interview
The Career Center offers graduating seniors the opportunity to interview with organizations that come to campus during the career who have professional positions available, some nationwide. Students can see who is coming to campus by logging on to HAWKS HUNT.

Internship
Students majoring in Accounting, Computer Information Systems, Management, Psychology, Communications or Graphic Design, have hopefully either completed or are in the process of completing their REQUIRED cooperative education/internship experience. If they have not yet thought about their REQUIREMENT, encourage them to contact the Career Center immediately.

From the Office of Housing

Move out of Residence Halls
All graduates must move out of their residence hall room by 7:00pm on the day of Commencement, Saturday, May 19.

Please plan accordingly. Questions regarding this may be directed to the Department of Housing and Residential Life at 401-254-3161.

Pictures

Photographer Information
Will be announced shortly.

From the Office of Student Programs & Leadership

Commencement Ball
The Ball will take place on Saturday, May 12th from 6:00 pm-1:00 am at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, Rhode Island. Hotel rooms are available at the Westin. More information on ticket prices and sales dates will be available through the Department of Student Programs and Leadership at (401)254-3088.

Commencement Family Dinner
A RWU tradition for graduates and their families and friends. Join us at the Venusde Milo Restaurant in Somerset, MA for a delicious buffet dinner and celebration of Commencement 2012.

Yearbook Information
To purchase your Yearbook or submit photos please visit Crossings Yearbook for assistance.

For more information on the year book, please contact the Department of Student Programs and Leadership.