Body: 

From: Office of the Registrar - Graduation

To: PhD students who have registered to participate in Commencement

(Temporary Posting for Commencement Purposes)

Instructions for PhD Graduates

◄Forward these instructions to your escort►

Processional Line Up

  • Graduates, immediately upon arriving for processional, check in with the lead PhD Marshal and pick up your processional card. They will be positioned near the PhD banner at the starting point for the line-up.
  • Graduates, line up for procession in assigned order (according to the number on your processional card distributed) It is critical to remain in the assigned order to ensure graduates receive the correct diploma.
  • Escorts line up NEXT TO graduates and process in a parallel line.
  • Follow your Graduate Marshal’s lead during processional. 
  • After entering the stadium, the two lines of graduates and escorts complete the seating process sequentially. Graduates sit next to escorts in the assigned order. 

Ceremony

  • Escorts hood the graduates when instructed to do so by President Johnson.
    • There will be sufficient time for escorts to move to any additional graduates to hood them, if necessary. Escorts with multiple graduates cannot reorder the seating order to sit next to all of their students.
  • When PhD diploma distribution begins, the lineup will happen under the guidance of the lead PhD Marshal.

Diploma distribution

  • Graduates will move toward the stage and have a photo taken on their way to the ramp.
  • Graduate stops at the edge of the stage and waits until their name is called to cross the stage.
  • Graduate moves toward President Johnson and receives their diploma from her.
  • Graduate continues crossing the stage and exits the stage using the ramp. (The escort has been pacing in front of the stage and following their graduate to meet them on the other side of the stage.)
  • Graduate now meets escort and has a photo taken together.
  • Graduates can either return to their seat or choose to leave the stadium (there are no additional requirements of PhD students at this time).
  • Escorts with additional graduates wait at the photo station for photos with their other graduates.
Send Date: 
Friday, June 10, 2022