With fall graduation just around the corner, coordinator of ceremonial and university events Danielle Wright has helped The Scribe put together a guide for December graduates.
Step 1: Apply to graduate
Before all else, graduating students should ensure that they have applied to graduate through their academic advisor. Students who do not apply for graduation will be unable to graduate.
Step 2: Register to participate in the commencement ceremony
Students wishing to participate in the commencement ceremony should register to participate on the commencement website. Wright shared that there is no official deadline for registration, but graduates who would like to participate should try to register by the week of the ceremony.
Step 3: Reach out for accommodations if needed
Wright wants graduates to know that the commencement team will always try to accommodate them. “We just hope that all who have a desire to participate really get to,” she said.
Wright shared that the commencement team has already addressed some accessibility concerns, and that they are debuting a new stage design that will have some additional ramps for the ceremony in December.
Students who have questions or additional accessibility concerns should contact Ida Dilwood at [email protected] or 719-255-3653.
Step 4: Purchase regalia
The only required regalia for commencement is a cap and gown. These items will be available through the UCCS Campus Store. Additional items such as stoles, cords, tassels and other optional regalia can be purchased at the store as well.
Students who are set to receive honor cords will get them at the ceremony when they check in.
Wright said that students who cannot afford a cap and gown but would like to participate in the ceremony should reach out to the commencement team for potential accommodations.
Students can also purchase their regalia at the Campus Store’s Graduation Fair. The fair connects graduates to post-graduation opportunities and to the alumni network. A professional photographer will also be there to take headshots.
The Graduation Fair takes place on Nov. 8 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Nov. 9 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. According to Mountain Lion Connect, no registration is required for this event.
Step 5: Attend the Grad Bash (optional)
On Dec. 13, there will be a Grad Bash in Berger Hall from 5:30-7 p.m. with complimentary food and drinks, music, challenges and photo opportunities with Clyde the Mountain Lion.
Space is limited, so Wright recommends graduates who want to attend register as soon as possible.
Step 6: Attend the commencement ceremony (optional)
The commencement ceremony is optional, but Wright encourages anyone with any desire to participate to do so. “It really is a celebration of [graduates] and their accomplishments … the whole arena is there to support and celebrate them,” she said.
Graduates may bring as many guests to the ceremony as they’d like. There will also be a virtual option available for guests who cannot come in-person, with more information appearing on the commencement website within 2-3 days of the ceremony.
The commencement ceremony will be on Dec. 15 at the Broadmoor World Arena. Doors open at 12:30 p.m., and the ceremony will begin promptly at 2 p.m.
Graduates should plan to be at the arena by 1:15 p.m. so they can check in and find their line-up spots. If a graduate is running late for any reason, they should speak to a floor volunteer once they arrive so that they can still participate in the ceremony.
Step 7: Receive your diploma
In the months following the commencement ceremony, all graduating students will receive their diplomas in the mail.
Those who attend the commencement ceremony will receive a diploma cover. Students who didn’t attend the ceremony but still want their diploma cover should reach out to the UCCS Office of the Registrar.
Students can visit the commencement website for more information about graduation.
Photo from communique.uccs.edu.