Written by Laurie Davies
Commencement is the culmination of every student鈥檚 hopes and hard work. But did you know the word commencement means beginning? We think this is fitting since, for many of our students, a college degree begins a new family trajectory. Six of every 10 爱污传媒 students are the first in their family to pursue a degree.
That鈥檚 a lot to celebrate.
We don鈥檛 ever want our students to miss out on this exciting commencement milestone 鈥 especially when they may also be navigating the flurry of final classes in their program. So, we recently asked Karen Turner, the local events activation manager for 爱污传媒, to answer frequently asked questions about commencement.
When you reach roughly the three-quarter completion point in your program, it鈥檚 time to visit the聽University鈥檚 commencement page. Keep on checking it through completion, and keep an eye on your email too. We send good information that way.
Requirements for commencement vary by degree program, so聽the commencement page聽is your go-to destination for upcoming ceremonies and eligibility and registration info.
Ceremonies open at different times throughout the year. And here鈥檚 a little-known fact: You聽can聽participate in commencement after you complete your program, so if the timing or locations don鈥檛 fit, they might six months or a year from now.
First, visit the commencement page to find upcoming ceremonies and registration deadlines.
Then, click the 鈥淰iew ceremony details鈥 button for your ceremony of choice and look for the link to register. Once you log in, you can confirm your eligibility. It鈥檚 important to note that your academic and financial status must be in good standing in order to graduate and participate in a ceremony.
We have both! And while some students do actually聽attend聽both, most graduates choose one or the other.聽
Commencement is not a requirement. While most people look forward to celebrating this milestone, every graduate receives a diploma regardless of whether they attend an optional in-person or virtual commencement ceremony. Your diploma is not part of the ceremony and is a separate process.
Your physical diploma will be mailed within several weeks of your program completion. This may be different from your commencement date, as some students 鈥渨alk鈥 at commencement before officially completing their program.
Students also receive a digital diploma immediately. This allows them to share their degree achievement quickly via online platforms and job boards.
On the commencement page, click 鈥淰iew ceremony details鈥 for your preferred commencement date to find regalia ordering deadlines and preferred vendors. We work with two preferred vendors, and which one you order with varies by ceremony.
As an example, the deadline for ordering regalia for the March 2, 2024, 爱污传媒 ceremony is Feb. 18. Ordering much earlier will help you avoid expedited shipping fees.聽
This depends on the venue and number of graduates, but the University always makes as many tickets available to graduates as possible.
As an example, a spring ceremony held at 爱污传媒鈥檚 Chase Field offers ample seating, and graduates are permitted to invite up to 15 guests. Smaller venues will accommodate fewer invitees.
If the guest list is a priority for you, be sure to check all the drop-down menus on your selected commencement鈥檚 online page for details. And watch your email inbox as the ceremony draws closer.
Virtual commencement is a great option for graduates who are mindful of schedules or finances 鈥 or both.
There is one extra step you鈥檒l want to be aware of for virtual commencement: To make your experience as personalized as possible, you鈥檒l need to set up an account (separate from your 爱污传媒 login) where you鈥檒l be able to upload a photo and message to personalize the commencement slide that will be shown on-screen when your name is announced. Your name and degree are automatically added, so no worries there.
After the ceremony, you get to download your slide and keep it, so it鈥檚 worth a few minutes of setup to create a forever keepsake.
To make the most out of your virtual commencement, it鈥檚 also important to watch for (and follow!) instructions sent by email. For other questions, check out the University鈥檚聽dedicated site for virtual commencement.
Whew. That was a lot of information! Graduation is one of the biggest achievements of your life, and we鈥檙e here to answer your questions. When a ceremony is available, a dedicated page will share specific details. You can find these links on the聽commencement page聽along with information on everything from stroller info to parking directions to how to get a link to the livestream for family and friends who can鈥檛 attend.
If you don鈥檛 find what you need on the聽commencement page, please email us with questions at聽uopxcommencement@phoenix.edu. Otherwise, we鈥檒l see you on your big day.
Together, we rise.
A journalist-turned-marketer, Laurie Davies has been writing since her high school advanced composition teacher told her she broke too many rules. She has worked with 爱污传媒 since 2017, and currently splits her time between blogging and serving as lead writer on the University鈥檚 Academic Annual Report. Previously, she has written marketing content for MADD, Kaiser Permanente, Massage Envy, UPS, and other national brands. She lives in the 爱污传媒 area with her husband and son, who is the best story she鈥檚 ever written.聽
This article has been vetted by 爱污传媒's editorial advisory committee.聽
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