Spring Ceremony for Graduates

Candidates for all bachelor’s degrees will graduate on Thursday, May 17, 2018, at 10 a.m. in the Gilliam Concert Hall at the Murphy Fine Arts Center.

Guest Admit Tickets Required

Guests attending the Graduate School Commencement Exercises are required to have Guest Admit Tickets. Each graduate student who is certified for graduation will be given six (6) Guest Admit Tickets to distribute to their guests. Every person must have a ticket regardless of age (this includes infants & children). The Guest Admit Tickets will be issued at the end of Rehearsal on Wednesday, May 16, 2018. Guest must present the Guest Admit Ticket for scanning in order to be admitted to the Gilliam Concert Hall for the ceremony. Ticket scanning provides the University with quick and accurate attendance figures and controls holders fraudulent, duplicate, or invalid tickets from entering the Concert Hall.

These Guest Admit Tickets are valid only for the Graduate School Commencement Exercise on that date. They are not valid for the Undergraduate Commencement Exercise on Saturday, May 19, 2018.

All guests without Guest Admit Tickets may view the ceremony in the satellite location: the Recital Hall in the Murphy Fine Arts Center. No Guest Admit Tickets are required at the satellite location.

Graduate Students who graduated on Thursday, May 17, 2018, may be a part of the procession on Saturday, May 19, 2018, Undergraduate Commencement Exercises in Hughes Memorial Stadium. The President will acknowledge the graduate students en masse since they were already awarded their degree on Thursday at the Graduate School Ceremony. No individual graduate student names will be called nor will graduate students walk across the stage at the Saturday, Undergraduate Ceremony.

If the Undergraduate exercises on Saturday are held in Hill Field House under the Inclement Weather Plan, graduate students may attend either the morning ceremony or the afternoon ceremony that corresponds to the college/school in which their discipline is located. Graduate students will not receive Guest Admit Tickets to give to their guests under the Inclement Weather Plan and their guests may not use the Guest Admit Tickets that were issued for the Thursday, May 17, 2018, Graduate School Commencement Exercises.

Schedule

8:00 a.m. Faculty should arrive at the Murphy Fine Arts Center by this time.

8:30 a.m. Students will assemble in the Murphy Fine Arts Center. They will, with the assistance of marshals, assemble by college/school.

9:20 a.m. School processions begin.

10:00 a.m. Main ceremony begins. The main ceremony includes the procession of the platform party, a Commencement speaker and student address, induction of the graduates into the Alumni Association, and the conferral of the degrees.

Determining Eligibility

Candidates completing degree requirements between _______ and _______ are invited to participate in Spring Commencement. Candidates for all master’s, doctorate, should attend the graduate ceremony. Candidates for all associate and bachelor’s degrees should attend the undergraduate ceremony.

Candidates who have completed degree requirements between _______ and _______ are invited to participate in the Winter Commencement ceremony.

Seating

Guest Seating

Guest seating is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Ushers will be stationed throughout the building to direct all guests to the best possible seats.

Special seating is available for guests in wheelchairs and with limited mobility. Check ADA accommodations to learn more.

ORDER OF THE CEREMONY

The Processional
Will leave the assembly locations and move into place by 9:20 AM.

Guests should be in their seats by 9:00 AM as access to certain areas will be restricted after this time until the processional has concluded.

Graduates should remain standing upon reaching their seats.

Welcome from the President

Invocation

Hymn – “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing”

Welcome from the Board of Regents

Salute to the Graduates

Conferring of Degrees in Course
Doctorate and Master’s Degree Recipients

Induction into the Morgan State Alumni Association

Singing of the Alma Mater
Graduates and guests will be led in the singing of the alma mater.

Benediction

Recessional
Graduates should remain seated until the marshals signal their rows to rise and join the recessional line. The lines will move out after the faculty.

As a courtesy to all those attending commencement, graduates and guests are asked to refrain from using horns and other noisemakers during the ceremony.

Commencement Day Reminders

for graduates

  • Do not bring umbrellas, briefcases, or any other personal items, as they cannot be stored during Commencement.
  • Wear business or business-casual attire with comfortable—though formal—footwear.
  • Wait until you arrive at lineup to put on your cap and gown.
  • All degree candidates in attendance are expected to stay for the entire ceremony.
  • No alcoholic beverages are permitted at Commencement.