Baccalaureate Ceremony
Baccalaureate is an inter-faith religious celebration for the graduating class. All graduating students and their families are welcome to attend this very special ceremony Thursday, May 15, in Bovard Auditorium.
Baccalaureate begins at 5:00 p.m. and runs about one hour. The centerpiece of the 2008 Baccalaureate will be an address by Dr. Richard Mouw, President, Fuller theological Seminary.
The participation of numerous university dignitaries, as well as the religious directors who work with the student groups, will add luster to the occasion. The service itself will feature music and readings from a wide range of religious traditions, and conclude with a benediction over the graduating students. Students are encouraged to wear their graduation gowns (no caps, please) to the ceremony.
There are no tickets required for the Baccalaureate service, though seating is limited and does fill up quickly. We recommend arriving by 4:00 p.m. for best seating.
Special Note: The Baccalaureate Dinner is sold out.
Main Commencement Ceremony
Viterbi Undergraduate degree candidates and their guests should attend both the Main Commencement Ceremony and the Viterbi Undergraduate Ceremony. Degree candidates will process into Alumni Park at about 8:30 a.m. and the Main Ceremony will begin at 9:00 a.m. The Main Ceremony is expected to conclude by 10:10 a.m.
Special Note: It is recommended that you arrive on campus no later than 7:00 a.m. as campus does fill up early and
seating is limited. There will be a number of
dining options available on the day of Commencement. In addition, it would be appropriate to bring snacks and water as you will spend several hours on campus.
Viterbi Undergraduate Ceremony
The Viterbi undergraduate Ceremony will take place immediately following the Main Commencement Ceremony at approximately 10:30 a.m. in Archimedes Plaza (E-quad). This ceremony will include addresses from Keynote Speaker,
Ken Klein, as well as the Viterbi Valedictorian and Dr. Yannis Yortsos, Dean of the Viterbi School of Engineering.
Seating
All guests are to be seated in the grassy area between Hedco Petroleum and Chemical Engineering Building (HED) and Biegler Hall of Engineering (BHE). Guests are to enter the area by walking though the open part of the E-Quad (between Olin Hall and Biegler).
- Tickets are not required for this ceremony.
- There will be designated disabled/wheel chair seating in the front of the guest seating area next to BHE. In order to accommodate as many guests as possible, we ask that only one individual accompany the guest with disabilities into the special seating area.
- We do not allow for seats to be reserved and left unattended. The Viterbi School cannot reserve seats and will not be responsible for items left unattended or unmonitored.
- All guests must be seated and all aisles must be cleared (and remain clear) before the ceremony begins.
Recognition of Degree Candidates
After the addresses, degree candidates will be recognized as follows:
- Degree candidates will come to the front of the stage area as a department to receive a diploma cover. Their names will be announced individually as they walk across the stage.
- A professional photographer, Bob Knight Photo, will be on stage to take several photos of each degree candidate.
- Guests will be provided information on the order that departments will be presented and will be allowed to come forward briefly to photograph their student as he or she is recognized on stage. Individual, amateur and/or professional photographers, however, will not be allowed to set up any equipment or to stay near the stage for more than a few minutes.
- After being congratulated, degree candidates will immediately return to their seats until the conclusion of the ceremony. There will be a formal recessional at the end of the program in which faculty marshals and Viterbi staff will lead students through the aisles of the guest seating area towards the reception area.
The Undergraduate Ceremony is expected to conclude by 12:00 noon. All graduates and their guests are invited to the Viterbi reception immediately following the ceremony. See below for more information.
If you have any additional questions regarding Commencement you may email the Viterbi Admission and Student Affairs Division.
