At the faculty meeting in March, the faculty will vote to include your name on the tentative graduation list of students permitted to participate in the Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, May 11th, 2008. Graduation Day, which seemed to be some long-distant goal, is just a few months away! I wish you the best as you complete your degree requirements and pursue your dreams.
Many events and activities are included in Senior Week (May 7th-9th) and Commencement Weekend (May 9th-11th) in this 193rd year of the College. Please read all information you will be receiving carefully. We hope you will take maximum advantage of everything offered and be sure to communicate and coordinate all plans and reservations with your family; a mailing with more information will be sent to them in the spring. All updates regarding Commencement can be found on this website.
GRADUATE PARTICIPATION IN COMMENCEMENT
All May graduates are expected to participate in the Commencement ceremony. President Cook presents diplomas to graduates as each graduate's name is announced to the audience. We want each graduate to receive the correct diploma so we must know who is present. In the event that you cannot attend the ceremony, you must come in to 006 Reis Hall in the spring of 2008 to make arrangements for the mailing of your diploma.
CAP AND GOWN PURCHASE
All participants in Commencement (and Baccalaureate) must appear in cap and gown. Caps and gowns may be purchased from the College Bookstore. The cost of the cap and gown (including tassel) will be announced and payment must be made to the Allegheny College Bookstore when the cap and gown are picked up. PLEASE NOTE: There is no need to stop by the bookstore to be measured for your cap and gown. The caps are one size fits all, and the gowns are bulk ordered by height.
GRADUATION ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announcement information will be available in the spring of 2008.
SENIOR WEEK EVENTS: MAY 7 - 9
The details of Senior Week are being finalized by your Senior Class Officers with the assistance of their committee. The week begins Wednesday evening, after your LAST round of finals at Allegheny. Bus transportation will be provided for all events. In fact, only those who show proof that they have taken the bus will be admitted to the Senior Week events listed in this mailing. This policy will be in force all week. Updates regarding Senior Week activities will be sent to you from the Senior Week committee.
MEAL CARDS
All prospective May graduates are asked to keep their Allegheny College ID card (Insta-Gator card) through May 11th, as this card will be re-coded for meals during Senior Week. It will entitle you to eat most meals in McKinley's Food Court (but it cannot be used for the Commencement Dinner or any Senior Week events). This meal card becomes effective at dinner Wednesday, May 7th through breakfast on Sunday, May 11th, and it must be presented to the Allegheny Food Service staff to obtain meals.
All meals except Saturday dinner are scheduled in McKinley's Food Court (dinner on Saturday is not open to the public). From Wednesday's dinner through Saturday's lunch, Allegheny College Dining Services will offer various specials and combo meals at McKinley's. The atrium window will be open for breakfast. Food court times will be announced.
COMMENCEMENT REHEARSAL AND CEREMONY
Sunday, May 11th, begins early with Commencement rehearsal in Wise Center Performance Arena (rain or shine) at 7:15 a.m. sharp! Directly after rehearsal, the Commencement ceremony begins with a formal academic procession of graduates (you), faculty, and the "platform party," which includes the honorary degree recipients and faculty presenters. Commencement exercises will be on Bentley Lawn, weather permitting, or in the Wise Center Sports Forum. We do everything possible to have the ceremony outdoors so dress according to the weather. Tickets are required for the ceremony only if the weather forces us indoors to the Wise Center Sports Forum. If the ceremony is indoors, please note that Shafer Auditorium will be set up for closed circuit viewing of the ceremony to accommodate guests not holding tickets. Even if the ceremony is held on Bentley Lawn, a closed circuit broadcast will be available in nearby Schultz Dining Hall for those who prefer to sit inside.
Immediately following the ceremony, plan to attend the All-College Departmental Reception and introduce your family and friends to your favorite faculty and staff. If we are indoors, plan with your family in ADVANCE where you will meet in the Campus Center for the reception. Do NOT plan to meet in the Wise Center.
COMMENCEMENT TICKETS
Commencement tickets will be given to seniors who have been approved by the faculty to participate in Commencement. Each student is permitted four (4) tickets. Please note: your ID card (Insta-Gator card) entitles you to eat most meals at McKinley's Food Court. A Senior Week ticket must be presented for admittance to Senior Week events, and a dinner reservation is required for admittance to the Commencement dinner on Saturday night.
MAILING TO FAMILIES
Your family will receive a mailing to notify them of Commencement events. Their mailing includes a reservation form for ordering Commencement dinner tickets for Saturday evening and housing in the residence halls for families. After reading the schedule for Commencement events and activities, be sure to call home and coordinate plans with your family so that the correct number of reservations are made. Your family is asked to include you in the number of tickets for the Commencement dinner reservations on Saturday evening. If you would like your family to be seated with a friend's family, please make sure your family notes your friend's name on the form. When you pick up your Commencement ceremony tickets, the meal tickets ordered by your family will also be available for pick-up.
PHOTOS AND VIDEOS
A professional photographer will take pictures of all graduates receiving their diploma at Commencement (unless you have specified in advance that you do not want your picture taken). The photography firm will send proofs to your family within two weeks following Commencement Day. To ensure that you receive the proofs in a timely manner, please pre-register online with Chappell Graduation Images. In addition, Graduation Nation will videotape all graduates during the ceremony. Forms for ordering DVDs are included in the mailing being sent to your family and will also be available at the Brooks Hall reception desk on Commencement Weekend.
We hope that this information is helpful to you as you make plans for your graduation. You can expect to hear from your Senior Class Officers soon with more details of Senior Week.
Finally, if you have any questions or want to help with preparations, contact one of your Senior Class Officers or me directly at 332-GRAD. Good luck to you as you complete your senior year!
Sincerely,
Patricia R. Henry
Conference and Event Services
