Commencement Ceremony Information

Commencement Ceremony Schedule

Semester
Date
Fall 2008
Saturday, December 20
Spring 2009
Saturday, May 16
Fall 2009
Saturday, December 19
Spring 2010
Saturday, May 15
 
 

All commencement ceremonies will start promptly at 9:30 am and will be held in the Giant Center, 950 W. Hersheypark Drive, Hershey Pennsylvania.

Arrival Time

Registration table

Graduates must arrive at the Giant Center and be fully gowned by 8:30 a.m. Please allow sufficient travel time. Penn State Harrisburg may not be able to accommodate students arriving after 9:00 a.m. Graduates arriving late will not participate in the student processional. The ceremony will last approximately 2½ hours.

Registration

Ceremony

All graduates must register in the main lobby. Enter through the main entrance and send your guests to their seats in the Giant Center, then proceed directly to the graduate registration table in the Lobby. You will receive an index card with your name and processional number. You may be given more than one card — keep all cards handy. You must give them to the Commencement Marshal to receive recognition upon crossing the stage.

If you feel your name will be difficult for the Marshal to pronounce, please e-mail the phonetic pronunciation to ajl189@psu.edu no later than four weeks before the ceremony. Include your phone number and the degree you are receiving.

Example:

Micha Reinecker, MEE-shah RYE-nick-er (CAPS indicate accent)
Major: Information Sciences and Technology (IST)
Phone: 555-555-5555

Graduation processional

Macebearer

After registering and receiving your index card(s), go to the student processional area. Penn State Harrisburg staff will guide all graduates through each portion of the ceremony.

All cell phones must be turned off as soon as you enter the student processional/seating area. Please refrain from cell phone use before and during the ceremony.

Students must be seated in their assigned seats by 9:00 a.m., in order to receive processional instructions.

Any student suspected to be under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance will be subject to arrest and will not be allowed to participate in the ceremony.

Smoking is strictly prohibited, both inside and outside the Giant Center.

Do not leave any personal items or valuables unattended at any time during the ceremony, especially in the student assembly area.

Students must remain seated on the Giant Center floor until the conclusion of the ceremony. When you are led out of the Center, you may meet your guests on the main concourse or outside the building.

Optional information sessions

There are no rehearsals for this ceremony. However, two optional pre-ceremony information meetings are scheduled in the Gallery Lounge (W-107) in the Olmsted Building at the following times:

Plan to attend one of these optional meetings if you have any unanswered questions regarding the ceremony. If you choose not to attend either of these sessions, you will receive complete information at the Giant Center on the day of commencement.

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