Schedule at a Glance
5:15 p.m. Doors open to Cheel Arena for all guests
5:30 p.m. Graduates seated in their assigned seating section
5:45 p.m. All guests with seating tickets should be seated
5:50 p.m. Faculty and Stage Party Procession begins moving
6 p.m. 126th Commencement Ceremony (Master's & Ph.D.s) begins
Directly Following Graduates' Reception in CAMP Atrium
Information for Students Participating in Commencement
Students eligible for graduation in May 2020 will receive notice from Student Administrative Services and will be required to fill out a form on PeopleSoft to indicate that they plan to graduate in the May 2020 ceremony. If at any time you change your mind regarding participation in the Commencement program for May 2020, you must inform Student Administrative Services at (315)268-6451 or through e-mail at commencement@clarkson.edu promptly. Detailed seating of the graduates is an important factor in Commencement.
You will not receive your actual diploma during Commencement. Your diploma will be mailed to you after Commencement. You will sit in order by program and have an assigned seat that you will find prior to the ceremony. Please make sure to give the phonetic spelling of your name in MyCU so that the reader can properly pronounce your name.
No tickets are needed for the Graduate Commencement Ceremony on May 14. Graduates are welcome to invite as many friends and family as they would like attend. Graduates will have a reserved seat on the arena floor and will be seated by degree levels. Guests may sit in anywhere in the arena in a unreserved seat. This includes the white seats on the ice level.
Cheel Campus Center and Cheel Arena are accessible to guests with disabilities. When entering the arena for the Commencement ceremony, make the staff aware of any disabilities or any special seating needed.
The University Bookstore with Jostens coordinates the ordering of all regalia (cap and gown). All regalia must be ordered on-line through Jostens by March 2020. Your pre-ordered regalia may be picked up at the University Bookstore in late April/early May. Students ordering regalia will receive exact dates and times as the event approaches. The University Bookstore will be sending all graduating students a price sheet with payment options to their Clarkson email. Payment is required at the time of pick-up. Jostens also has available for order diploma frames, graduation announcements, thank you notes and gifts. If you have any questions, please email the bookstore at 1193mgr@follett.com or call 315-265-9260. After the first week of March, you will be required to call Jostens at 1-800-854-7464 to order your cap and gown.
Order Regalia from Jostens
The basic attire for all graduating students is black academic regalia ("cap and gown") with a black tassel. In keeping with the formality of Commencement, additional adornments are limited. Doctoral degree candidates will have on an antique gold tassel.
- Please be sure to indicate that you are receiving either a master's or doctoral degree gown when you order your regalia. Although the gowns for each type of degree are black, there are slight differences in cut and doctoral gowns also have black velvet bands. Doctoral candidates will also receive a tam instead of a cap.
- You must also order the appropriate colored hood for the degree received. Master's degree candidates process into the arena wearing their hoods. Doctoral degree candidates will drape their hood over their left arm as they will have their hood placed on them on stage by their advisor.
Information for Guests Attending Commencement
Only doors into the Arena from inside the Cheel Campus Center will be used for spectator entry. For their convenience, guests with disabilities may also enter directly into the arena through a side door near the front entrance of the Cheel Campus Center.
We ask that large bags, signs, weapons of any kind be kept out of the Arena for the comfort and safety of our guests. Guests are asked to remain seated during the ceremony unless asked to rise to allow all guests a comfortable, safe and positive experience.
For information on traveling to Clarkson, please see Visit Us, where you will find links to maps and directions.
We are happy to offer guest room accommodations in our residence halls for parents and guests. Please make your reservations by submitting the On-Campus Room Reservation form available here in March. Room reservations will be open until the limited number of available rooms is gone or until May 1, whichever comes first. Exact location of rooms will not be determined until May 8.
No tickets are needed for the Graduate Commencement Ceremony on May 14. Graduates are welcome to invite as many friends and family as they would like attend. Graduates will have a reserved seat on the arena floor and will be seated by degree levels. Guests may sit in anywhere in the arena in a unreserved seat. This includes the white seats on the ice level.
Cheel Campus Center and Cheel Arena are accessible to guests with disabilities. When entering the arena for the Commencement ceremony, make the staff aware of any disabilities or any special seating needed.
Commencement Dining Services
To learn more about what's open and when during Commencement weekend, click on the link below: