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Ceremony Procedures

No Rehearsal

There will NOT be a rehearsal for this year's commencement ceremony. Graduates only need to participate in the commencement exercises on Friday, May 3. Any information that is needed about the ceremony is contained on this website. For questions, contact Kary Iddings at 937-512-4178 or kary.iddings@sinclair.edu or Dana Cunningham at 937-512-4282 or dana.cunningham@sinclair.edu.

Seating for Family/Guests

Seating is open and available on a first come, first serve basis. There is not a limit to the number of guests per graduate, and tickets are not required. Accessible seating is available around the mezzanine level of the arena.

Everyone entering UD Arena must be screened by a metal detector. Prohibited items include, but are not limited to, firearms, weapons of any kind, food and drink, strollers, signs larger than 8.5” x 11”, tripods, balloons, animals (with the exception of service animals), camera lenses longer than 8”, laser pointers, and noisemakers. Please visit the UD Arena Security webpage for additional information.

Commencement Arrival and Line-Up

The University of Dayton Arena will open at 5:00 p.m. Please be sure to arrive at the arena by 5:00 p.m. Security officers will direct graduates and guests on where to park upon arrival. Open seating is available for all guests.

You must bring your cap, gown, tassel (which should be worn on the right side of your cap) and graduation card to the ceremony. Faculty marshals, dressed in red and black gowns, will assist you in the line-up and Processional.

Graduates should report to their designated staging area, by their red divisional banner on the arena's mezzanine level, and should remain in the staging area to expedite the line-up process.

The Ceremony

During the ceremony, which will last about two hours, the college’s president, provost, and faculty marshals will provide directions to the graduates. Please listen carefully to their directions. Graduates who have elected to participate in the ceremony must remain for the entire event.

  1. The Processional into the arena begins promptly at 6:00 p.m. During the Processional, faculty marshals will lead the graduates to their seating area. Graduates will fill in rows of seats as directed by the faculty marshals. Graduates should remain standing until directed to be seated.
  2. For the conferring of degrees, the Provost will ask the graduates to rise and he will present the class to the college's Board of Trustees and President. The president will then confer the degrees, after which, all graduates will be seated.
  3. Upon a signal from the faculty marshal, graduates will rise one row at a time. Graduates will proceed to the stage area and hand their graduation card to the division dean who will announce the graduate’s name. The graduate will proceed to the president to receive their diploma cover and also be greeted by a member of the Board of Trustees, proceed to the left of the presentation area for a professional photograph and then return to their seat – please remain standing.
  4. Upon the faculty marshal’s signal, each row will be seated and remain seated until instructed to rise for the Recessional. Graduates should not leave until the ceremony is completed.
  5. The Recessional will flow in the reverse order of the Processional. A faculty marshal will lead each group of graduates out the same aisle that the group used to enter the arena.