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Commencement Information

December Commencement: December 1, 2023

Summer Commencement

December 1, 2023

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Tickets and Seating

The ceremony format and times for our commencement exercises are based on the number of graduates who indicate that they plan to participate. The number of participants per ceremony will be based on the capacity limitations of Rent Auditorium on The W campus.

Each graduate will receive six tickets for their conferral ceremony. There are no extra tickets. Family and friends (including ALL children and infants) attending commencement MUST have an admission ticket. Tickets will be picked up prior to the ceremony according to the time and location that is announced. Students will also have an opportunity to go by the Alumni designated area to pick up their swag. This will need to be given to one of your ticketed visitors prior to the ceremony. The Alumni station will be on site prior to the ceremony.

Arrival and Departure

The processional line of march will be formed in Painter Hall. Students should arrive one hour prior to the conferral ceremony in which they have been assigned to participate.

Doors will open to guests 60 minutes prior to each ceremony.  Entry will be through the main (North) doors of Whitfield Hall.  Guests should arrive as early as possible before the conferral ceremony in which their graduate has been assigned to participate. Doors will close at the start of to the ceremony and no additional guests will be allowed to enter.

Graduates and guests should depart Whitfield Hall through the side (East) door immediately after the ceremony, so the auditorium may be prepared for the next ceremony.

Please contact the Registrar’s Office prior to the week of commencement for handicap access instructions. 

Interpreter

ASL interpretation will be provided during the ceremonies. Contact the Registrar’s Office prior to the week of commencement for special arrangements.

Public Health Measures

The conferral ceremonies will be live streamed for family members and loved ones to enjoy at home or on a phone, tablet, or computer. Facilities will be open on campus to view live stream broadcast.

Masks will be encouraged but not required.  This is subject to change.

Parking

The campus gate on 11th Street South and 3rd Avenue/Welty Drive will be closed during graduation.

Parking is available in any of the parking lots on campus. Street parking is available on College Street in designated spaces.

Please note: The east parking lot adjacent to 15th Street and the new Culinary Arts Building is closed for construction.

Handicap Parking

The parking lots on 3rd Avenue/Welty Drive (Whitfield Hall lot and Puckett Plaza lot) are designated for handicap parking during commencement.

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Reminders

Time & Location

Mississippi University for Women’s Spring Commencement exercises will be held on July 28, 2023.

Degrees will be conferred in Rent Auditorium in Whitfield Hall on The W’s campus.

Key Reminders

  • There will be no commencement rehearsal.
  • Each graduate will receive six tickets. 
  • There will be no extra tickets. No general admission seating, and no one (including infants and children) will be admitted without a ticket. The Nissan Auditorium located in Parkinson Hall will be open on campus to view live stream broadcast.
  • The only regalia that students will be permitted to wear at Commencement is the regalia (caps, gowns, hoods) issued from The W bookstore and honor cords issued by the Registrar’s Office. Students are not allowed to wear other cords, pins, medallions, sashes, etc. of sororities, fraternities, etc. Students are not allowed to decorate their mortar board (cap) in any way. 
  • As of right now, masks are encouraged but not required.  This is subject to change.

Caps/Gowns/Honor Cords

The only regalia that students will be permitted to wear at Commencement is the regalia (caps, gowns, hoods) issued from Barnes & Noble and honor cords issued by the Registrar’s Office. You are not allowed to wear other cords, pins, medallions, sashes, etc. of sororities, fraternities, etc. You are not allowed to decorate your mortar board (cap) in any way.

Gold honor cords, for first bachelor degree students whose current cumulative and W grade point averages are 3.50 and above, will be distributed on the day of commencement at the ticket pickup location. Blue honor cords will be distributed to students with Departmental Honors. Honors read for commencement are based on current GPAs (at the conclusion of the fall semester). However, honors printed on diplomas and transcripts will be based on final calculations.

Regalia Information

Diplomas

Diplomas for degrees awarded will be mailed once all degrees have been conferred.

Transfer Credit

The deadline for submission of transfer work to the Office of the Registrar is August 18, 2023. Please notify faculty involved from other campuses of this deadline and request their assistance.  If an official transcript will not be available by this date, please notify The W Registrar's Office no later than August 18, 2023. Please note that transfer credit will be added to your W record and your degree will be posted only upon receipt of an official transcript. You will not graduate if official transcripts of grades are not received, and you must reapply for your degree.

University Accounts

The deadline for candidates to clear University accounts is 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday prior to Commencement. Offices included are University Accounting (Comptroller), Housing, Health Center, Library, Registrar, Student Affairs and Campus Police. Diplomas and/or transcripts will not be issued to candidates until all accounts are cleared.

Commencement Photography

GradImages will take pictures of all graduates as they cross the stage. GradImages will send proofs to each graduate directly.  Contact information for GradImages: (800) 261-2576, www.gradimages.com, ecc.giservice@gradimages.net

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Graduation Frequently Asked Questions

How many tickets will each graduate receive?

Each graduate will receive six tickets.

How do I get my tickets?

Ticket distribution for a ceremony will begin 2.5 hours prior to the beginning of that ceremony. Graduates may not pick up tickets earlier than this time. Ticket distribution for a ceremony will end one hour and fifteen minutes prior to the beginning of the ceremony. Graduates should bring their student ID, some other form of identification, or be prepared to share the 950 number. Only graduates will be allowed to enter the ticket distribution area.

I am eligible for graduation with honors - how will I receive my honor cords?

Honor cords will be distributed to eligible Summer 2023 candidates when they pick up their tickets. Students who establish throughout their academic careers both an overall (includes The W and any out-of-residence work) and an W grade point average between 3.50 and 3.79 graduate cum laude; those who establish a grade point average between 3.80 and 3.94 graduate magna cum laude; and those with a grade point average between 3.95 and 4.0 graduate summa cum laude. Only students earning their first baccalaureate degree are eligible for these honors. For the purpose of determining eligibility to wear honor cords, these grade point averages are determined at the end of the Summer 2023 semester. These honors are subject to change based on the final grades at the conclusion of the Summer 2023 semester.

How do I join the Line of March?

Graduates should arrive at Painter Hall one hour prior to their degree conferral ceremony to be placed in the Line of March.

May I decorate my cap or wear other cords?

Everyone in the line is to wear academic regalia. The only Academic Regalia students are permitted to wear at Commencement is the regalia (mortar boards, gowns, master’s hoods, and Latin honor cords) issued by the Office of the Registrar and purchased through Barnes and Noble (https://gradsupply.com/muw/). You are not allowed to wear cords, pins, medallions, sashes, etc. of honors societies, sororities, fraternities, etc. Tassels are placed on the right and remain until told to move them to the left. Mortar boards are not to be tilted on the head --- they belong right on top. Graduates should wear black shoes, and any clothing not covered by the gown should be dark in color. Mortar boards and all other elements of Academic Regalia may not be modified or decorated.

When should my guests arrive?

Doors to Rent Auditorium will open one-hour prior to the beginning of the degree conferral ceremony. They will be closed at the start of the degree conferral ceremony. Guests should arrive to campus in time to park, meet their graduates to receive tickets from their graduates, and line up at Whitfield Auditorium.

What safety measures are in place for commencement?

Due to COVID-19, the following additional safety protocols will be in place:

  • Masks are encouraged but not required.  This is subject to change.  N95 masks will be available at the entrance.

  • Hand Sanitizer: Stations will be made available for the use of our graduates and guests.

Will I receive my diploma cover?

Yes, all graduates will receive a diploma cover at the Commencement ceremony. Degrees will be posted to transcripts and diplomas will be mailed later.

Can I bring an umbrella?

Yes. Although the ceremonies will take place indoors, there will be times when graduates and guests will be outdoors (e.g. moving from one location to another, standing in line). Graduates and guests are encouraged to be weather aware and take reasonable precautions to stay dry, if necessary.

Will there will be a faculty line of march?

Yes, the members of our faculty are very proud of each graduate and their accomplishments and are excited to celebrate with you.

What is a Degree Conferral Ceremony?

At the Degree Conferral Ceremony, there will be very brief comments, but the primary focus will be on the student’s walk across the stage. We are anticipating that the ceremony will last approximately half the length of a traditional ceremony.

Will the Degree Conferral Ceremonies be available online?

Yes, Degree Conferral Ceremonies will be streamed at www.muw.edu/live.

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2023/24 Commencement Dates

Fall 2023
December 1
Spring 2024
May 3
Summer 2024
July 26
Commencement Information