Baccalaureate – Saturday, May 29
Graduation – Sunday, May 30
The primary Commencement events will take place Saturday, May 29 and
Sunday, May 30. The Baccalaureate service begins Saturday at 11:00
a.m. in the Scott Outdoor Auditorium, (rain site: Pearson Hall Theater,
Lang Performing Arts Center), with luncheon following on the lawn below
Sharples Dining Hall (alternate arrangements will be made in the event
of rain). Commencement Exercises will take place Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
in the Scott Outdoor Auditorium, and will be held outdoors regardless
of the weather. Both Baccalaureate and Commencement will begin with
an academic procession. To participate in these events, you will need
to order a cap and gown from the Bookstore. Rental orders will be taken
on Monday, March 22nd and Tuesday, March 23rd from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m. in the Bookstore lobby. A rental fee of $16.99 is due at the time
of order. You will need to return the cap and gown (you keep the tassel)
to the Bookstore by 5:00 p.m. on Commencement day. The cap and gown
rental company charges more for late orders so the Bookstore must too.
Orders placed after March 23rd will be subject to a $10.00 late fee.
The rehearsal for the Commencement Exercises will be held on Saturday,
May 29, at 9:00 a.m. in the Scott Outdoor Auditorium. This rehearsal
is essential and all graduating seniors are expected to attend. A Senior
Class Breakfast will be held beforehand in Sharples to help you prepare
for the rehearsal.
You and your guests are invited to attend several events on Saturday
in addition to Baccalaureate. Among these will be a luncheon on the
lawn below Sharples Dining Hall hosted by the President and the Dean
following Baccalaureate. Complimentary tickets for the luncheon (available
in late-April in Parrish 108) will be furnished to seniors for themselves
and up to two members of their immediate family. Additional luncheon
tickets
may be purchased (by cash or check) from the upstairs office in the
Dining Hall, beginning Monday, May 3rd, between the hours of 8:30 a.m.
and 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Tickets are $10.00 for each adult
and $5.00 for each child under twelve; a limited number of tickets
will be available for purchase at the luncheon. Initiation of new members
of Phi Beta Kappa will take place at 2:30 p.m. in the Pearson Hall
Theater, Lang Performing Arts Center and is open to all. Last Collection
will take place at 4:15
p.m. in the Scott Outdoor Auditorium (rain site: Pearson Hall Theater,
Lang Performing Arts Center); and at 5:15 p.m. a faculty reception
for Seniors and their families and friends will be held on the lawn
of Parrish Hall (rain site: Tarble Social Center in Clothier).
Twelve Commencement announcements will be available for each senior.
Although there is no charge for these announcements, we hope that you
will take only as many as you will actually use. You should stop by
(Parrish 108) in late April to pick up your announcements, and let
us know if you need more than twelve. We will try to supply additional
announcements early in May.
A limited number of rooms in the residence halls for your guests will
be available during the Commencement weekend, Friday through Sunday
nights. The cost is $45 per night for two people sharing a room, $35
per night for a single. Please remind your parents and guests that
residence halls, and the campus in general, are not as quiet as that
to which they are accustomed, rooms are not air conditioned and that
the bathrooms are shared. Also remind your guests that pets are not
permitted in the residence halls. Residence hall rooms may be reserved
through Barbara Tumolo, Office of Facilities Management, and a reservation
application was sent to your parents in mid-January along with a letter
describing Commencement events. Please note that Ashton House and Strath
Haven will not be available for commencement. All seniors and guests
must be out of the residence halls by 10:00 a.m., Monday, May 31st.
All room keys must be turned in by that date or a $50.00 charge will
be assessed.
A word of warning: all financial obligations to the College must be
met by noon on Thursday, May 13th; all academic requirements must be
certified by the faculty by noon Monday May 24th in order for a degree
candidate to be presented to the Faculty for voting degrees.
You will receive further information about most of these matters,
but if you have questions at any time, please let me know.
Please note: A cap and gown order form will be mailed to students
who are away from campus for the semester. This form must be completed
and returned to the Bookstore with payment by Tuesday, March 23rd.
