Commencement Ceremony Information

General Ceremony Information

Graduation Assembly Rooms

Graduates need to report to their assembly locations 45 minutes prior to the start of their ceremony. Assembly Room locations are listed by degree. A Marshal will guide the graduates once in their assigned location. It is recommended all personal items are left with a guest, as the assembly rooms are not monitored and we can not guarantee they will be watched. Roosevelt University is not responsible for any lost or stolen items.

List of Assembly Rooms (Where and when graduates need to report the day of the ceremonies)

Name Cards

Name cards are placed in the Assembly Rooms the day of the ceremony. You are encouraged to spell your name phonetically to assist in the the pronunciation of your name. It is also recommended you write your email on the name card, as this will assist the photographers in sending your proofs after commencement. Be careful not to lose this card. Should you drop it in route to the ceremony, please notify a Marshal.

Processional

After the degree groups have assembled, an assistant marshal will review the Commencement procedures with you. Candidates will enter the Auditorium Theatre through the Wabash lobby. Candidates remain standing until the marshal gives the signal to be seated. It is customary to remove caps for the national anthem and to leave them off until degrees are conferred.

Conferring of Degrees

After awarding any honorary degrees, the marshal will ask doctoral candidates to rise and come to the stage. Doctoral degree recipients will be presented to the president and their college dean to be hooded. The marshal then presents each dean and asks graduates to stand and proceed to the stage for awarding of their degrees. Master's degree recipients, preceded by an assistant marshal, will walk single file down the left (north) aisle and ascend the stage to present themselves to the dean and president.

The dean shakes the graduate's right hand, a picture is taken, and the student walks forward to President Middleton, who shakes the graduate's right hand and places the diploma cover in the left hand. After receiving the cover, graduates leave the stage via the south staircase, have pictures taken at the bottom of the stairs and return to their seats. Graduates remain standing until the marshal gives them the signal to be seated. Bachelor's degree and all other graduating groups follow the same procedure.

After the Ceremony

The Auditorium Theatre will be cleared immediately following each Commencement ceremony.

The Congress and Fainman Lounges on the second floor of the Auditorium Building are the perfect places to meet your guests after the ceremony! Please plan accordingly.

Additional Guest Information

Auditorium Theatre at Roosevelt University

Accessible Seating for Guests

Balloons and strollers are not allowed in the seating area.

Food and beverages are not allowed in the theatre.

Out of consideration for all graduates and their families, please encourage your guests, including children, to remain attentive and quiet during the ceremony.

Please turn off all cell phones and pagers.