What you need to know about Commencement

By Kelvin Childs        

An anticipated 3,000 students are expected to receive degrees at the 158th graduation, which returns to The Yard. Stay informed about the joyous day with these tips.

• The University-wide 158th main commencement ceremony is Saturday, May 9, 10 a.m. at the Upper Quadrangle (The Yard). The joyous celebration takes place on campus, rain or shine. Each graduate will receive four (4) tickets for guests.
• The University’s 14 schools and colleges will hold recognition and award ceremonies from Wednesday, May 6, through Saturday, May 9. The schedule is here: Graduation Ceremonies and Rehearsals. The ceremonies are the only time during which undergraduate students will walk across the stage and have their names called.
• The commencement orator and honorary degree recipients will be announced and posted on the commencement website.
• On-campus parking will be limited, so guests are advised to use ride-sharing services. Another option is Metro, which has stops near the campus on its Green Line, at Shaw-Howard University, U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo, Columbia Heights and Georgia Avenue-Petworth.

The Department of Public Safety has guidelines for what guests may bring to the campus. More details are here: Prohibited Items and Bag Policy