Taylor Nicole Richards – News Writer
All undergraduate seniors are set to graduate Friday, May 20 at 10:15 a.m. at the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, Conn. All graduate students are set to graduate on Thursday, May 19 at 2 and 7 p.m. at the Lyman Center. There are guides for undergrads, grads, faculty as well as family and friends on Southern’s website for parking, directions and the commencement site.
On Monday, April 4, students will be able to purchase their cap and gowns at the bookstore. If they don’t have a cap or gown they will not be able to participate in the ceremony. In the first week of May students will be able to request tickets if they want more than the four that are allocated to each person graduating. May 7 is when students can pick up their tickets and reader cards at the student center. All candidates must have a reader card to grant them access to the assembly area in the garage before the ceremony. If tickets are not picked up by May 7 then extra ones will be redistributed to students who requested more for family and friends.
Kathryn Johnstone, senior graphic design major, is excited to finally graduate after five years. “I’m doing an internship right now that I didn’t get the paperwork filled out for on time at the beginning of the semester, but I’m still doing 10 hours a week and I get checked up on it by my professors,” said Johnstone. “All I know is that I’ll probably walk anyway whether I get my degree or not. I’m just ready to finish.”
Johnstone is planning buying her own cap from the bookstore, but plans on borrowing her graduation gown from her cousin since it’s been handed down her family for the past two years.
Rondell Butler, an office assistant at the Registrar’s office, had advice for any senior who is unsure if they’re all set to graduate or not. First, they need to make sure they’ve taken everything they need to with their advisor, then they’re set to apply for graduation.
“Normally they apply for graduation then they’ll get notified if there’s anything outstanding that they need to clear up. There’s four auditors for every school. If a student has any concerns about what they need to graduate they can contact their auditor regarding their status,” said Butler. “If they sent something to the department that needs to be waived they also should contact their auditor to see if they need anything else.”
If a student has taken every class they need to and applied for graduation then they’re currently all set if they’re not getting any reports from their auditors.
The online guide gives further information about what candidates need to do to plan the day of. Anyone attending is expected to be parked before 9 a.m. since over 8,000 people are expected to attend. Students are asked to be at the assembly area on the first floor of the parking garage no later than 9:45 a.m. Degree candidates will line up for the procession by school and major and will be directed by a commencement marshall.
Diplomas are received by each school and the dean will show students where to stand at the appropriate times during the ceremony. After the diploma is received, students are expected to stay at their seats until directed otherwise. Lastly, students who have chosen to participate are expected to stay for the entire duration of the ceremony, which is supposed to last about two hours.
Photo Credit: Derek Torrellas
