Sun Ceremony Instructions

Assembly

Additional details about lining up and the procession will be available in Spring 2025.

Procession

The Chief Marshal, followed by the Class Marshals (College Marshal, and Marshals for Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts candidates), will lead the procession. Graduates proceed in double-file lines, and ushers will direct students down the center aisle into the rows of seats so that alphabetical order by degree is maintained. Bachelor of Science candidates are seated at the front of the seating area, house right; Bachelor of Arts candidates fill in the remaining seats on house right and then the entire section, house left. Thus seats are not assigned in advance, but graduates are seated alphabetically by degree.

Conferral of Degrees

During the ceremony, following the presentation of the honorary degree and the commencement address, candidates for the degrees will be asked to stand according to their major, and then the whole class will stand to put on their hoods. Graduates will then be directed by the ushers to stand (one row at a time), approach the ramp on stage right, pass their name cards to the readers, and proceed across the stage as their names are read. The College Dean will present a congratulatory scroll and offer congratulations to each graduate. Graduates will continue across the stage, exit on the opposite side, and return to their seats. After all graduates have crossed the stage, Interim President Groves will ask all seniors to rise, confer the degrees en masse, and then direct graduates to be seated. The final benediction and closing of the ceremony will follow.

Recessional

The Faculty and Deans will exit the stage first. Then the students will exit down the center aisle from the left and right rows as directed by the ushers, followed by families and guests.