Page Text: Instructions for Associate & Baccalaureate Degrees (Traditional & Non-traditional)
Saturday, May 7, 2022, at 9 a.m.
Graduates should wear their academic regalia* to campus for their ceremony. All Associate and Baccalaureate degree candidates, both traditional and non-traditional, should assemble at 8:20 a.m. on Saturday, May 7. Student marshals will line up graduates facing the quad, on the sidewalk at the top of the stairs leading down to the bell tower. Associate candidates, traditional and nontraditional, will line up first, in two lines directly behind the student marshals on the sidewalk connecting the Adams Building and the Reed Memorial Tower, facing the tower. Baccalaureate candidates, traditional and nontraditional, will line up behind the Associate graduates in two lines and continue on the sidewalk alongside the Martin Building, facing the circle in front of the Adams Building. There is no order to the line once graduates are in their group.
Faculty marshals will check to see that graduates are lined up properly and to ensure each graduate has the name card* with his/her name printed on it. The name cards were distributed with the academic packet. Please complete the name card on the back and bring the card to the Commencement Convocation. Graduates will hand the card to Dr. Lena Welch at the podium, who will call their name at the time of awarding of the degree.
The march will begin at 8:50 a.m.. Administrators and faculty will lead, marching through the line of graduate candidates. The line will proceed through the Reed Bell Tower, across Hart Street, and onto The Quad.
After marching in, graduates will remain standing as a group until after the invocation.
All men will leave their caps on except during the invocation and the benediction.
Graduation is a formal ceremony and academic regalia must be worn as distributed by the university.
Do not wear anything on the outside of the academic regalia, such as a corsage, sticker, button, etc.
Associate and Baccalaureate candidates should wear the tassel over their right temple and move it to the left after receiving their diploma cover, when exiting the platform.
Following the benediction, graduates exit immediately behind the faculty. Student marshals will direct each row, beginning with those at the front.
Graduates are invited to stop by the Alumni Association Tent on Hart Street at the roundabout immediately after the Commencement Convocation. There will be a photo wall for taking pictures and a gift for graduates.
The University has arranged for a Gradlmages® to take photos of each graduate during the ceremony. Register now at: https://www.gradimages.com/Registration to take advantage of a 20% discount for you, your family, and friends. Your proofs will be sent to you as soon as they are available after the ceremony.
*Graduates who chose to have their regalia shipped to campus will pick up their regalia, NAME CARD, Commencement Handbook, four (4) rain plan tickets, and honor cords (if applicable) at the Mailroom, located in Waggoner Library Monday, April 25 – Friday, May 6, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Graduates will receive an email notification that they have a package to pick up when their regalia comes in. Please pick up your items before graduation day.
*Graduates who chose to have their regalia shipped to home will need to pick up the NAME CARD, Commencement Handbook, four (4) rain plan tickets, and honor cords (if applicable) at the Mailroom, located in Waggoner Library beginning Monday, April 25 – Friday, May 6, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Please make every effort to pick up your items before graduation day.
Awarding of Degrees
In the awarding of degrees, the following procedure will be followed:
The University Provost will ask the candidates to stand. All graduates will stand together and remain standing until the President and University Provost finish their comments.
The Provost will read a brief statement to the President who will respond and confer the degrees. We invite parents, family members, and friends to stand as their graduate's name is called and the diploma cover is received. Graduates may wish to alert their guests to be ready to stand.
The first two rows of associate and baccalaureate degree candidates will remain standing and proceed to the platform, led by a student marshal. Everyone else is seated. As each row comes to the aisle, the marshal will then ask the next row to stand as a group and move to the aisle and proceed to the platform.
As the candidate approaches the top of the ramp leading to the stage, he/she will give their completed name card* from the packet to Dr. Lena Welch, standing at the podium. The student will quietly speak their name to Dr. Welch, who will then announce the student's name.
Each graduate will wait at the top of the ramp until his/her name and honors have been read and then walk across the stage and receive their diploma folder. Graduates will pause for a moment when receiving the diploma folder from the President to have a picture taken by Gradlmages®. The Chairman of the Board of Trustees will also give congratulations.
Graduates will descend by the opposite ramp, have a photo taken, and then return to their original row. They will remain standing until the complete row of graduates has returned and then be seated together, as a row.
* It is important that graduates complete the name card on the back and they bring the card to the Commencement Convocation.
Additional Information for Graduates
Summer graduates must be within 6 hours of graduation by the end of the spring semester in order to be eligible to participate in commencement. In addition, the summer graduate must have a feasible plan for completing all graduation requirements by August 15. Summer graduates are expected to follow their plan for program completion. All courses are to be taken in summer school at Trevecca unless there is advance approval through the Office of Academic Records.
Traditional undergraduate students who had student loans need to schedule an exit meeting with The Office of Financial Aid. Please email financialservices@trevecca.edu or call 615-248-1242 to schedule an appointment.
Diplomas will be mailed. Academic Records will have one month after the conferral date to award the degrees. For May conferrals, diplomas will be mailed the first week of June, providing there are no holds on the student account. For August conferrals, diplomas will be mailed the second week of September providing there are no holds on the student account. Please make sure to communicate this information with parent(s)/guardian(s) as well.
A Final decision about implementation of the rain plan will be made as soon as possible prior to the time of each ceremony. However, that decision may not happen until two hours prior to any of the ceremonies. In case of rain during the time of any of the individual ceremonies, only the event affected by weather will be moved inside. Seating for indoor ceremonies will be limited to 4 guests per graduate. Graduates should locate the rain plan tickets included in their graduation/regalia packet, which will be needed for guest entry to the ceremony. Please refer to the Commencement Inclement Weather tab for complete details about the rain plan.
Instructions for Master's, Specialist & Doctoral Degrees
Saturday, May 7, 2022, at 2 p.m.
Graduates should wear their academic regalia* to campus for their ceremony. All Masters, Specialist, and Doctoral degree candidates should assemble at 1:20 p.m. on Saturday, May 7. Faculty marshals will line up graduates facing the quad, on the sidewalk at the top of the stairs leading down to the bell tower. Doctoral candidates will line up first, in two lines directly behind the student marshals on the sidewalk connecting the Adams Building and the Reed Memorial Tower, facing the tower. PhD candidates should be at the front in the right line. Masters and Specialist degree candidates will line up in two rows behind the Doctoral graduates and continue on the sidewalk alongside the Martin Building, facing the circle in front of the Adams Building. There is no order to the line once graduates are in their group.
Faculty marshals will check to see that graduates are lined up properly and to ensure that each graduate has the name card* with his/her name printed on it. The name cards were distributed with the academic packet. Please complete the name card on the back and bring the card to the Commencement Convocation. Graduates will hand the card to Dr. Jonathan Bartling, at the podium, who will call their name at the time of awarding of the degree.
The march will begin at 1:50 p.m. Administrators and faculty will lead, marching through the line of graduate candidates. The line will proceed through the Reed Bell Tower, across Hart Street, and onto The Quad.
After marching in, graduates will remain standing as a group until after the invocation
All men will leave their caps on except during the invocation and the benediction.
Graduation is a formal ceremony and academic regalia must be worn as distributed by the university.
Do not wear anything on the outside of the academic regalia such as a corsage, sticker, button, etc.
Masters and doctoral candidates should wear the tassel over the left
Masters’ and specialist candidates will wear their hoods to the ceremony.
Doctoral candidates will receive instructions about their hoods from their advisers and program leaders.
Following the benediction, graduates will exit immediately behind the faculty. Marshals will direct each row, beginning with those at the front.
Graduates are invited to stop by the Alumni Association Tent on Hart Street at the roundabout immediately after the Commencement Convocation. There will be a photo wall for taking pictures and a gift for graduates.
The University has arranged for a Gradlmages® to take photos of each graduate during the ceremony. Register now at: https://www.gradimages.com/Registration to take advantage of a 20% discount for you, your family, and friends. Your proofs will be sent to you as soon as they are available after the ceremony.
*Graduates who chose to have their regalia shipped to campus will pick up their regalia, NAME CARD, Commencement Handbook, four (4) rain plan tickets, and honor cords (if applicable) at the Mailroom, located in Waggoner Library Monday, April 25 – Friday, May 6, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Graduates will receive an email notification that they have a package to pick up when their regalia comes in. Please pick up your items before graduation day.
*Graduates who chose to have their regalia shipped to home will need to pick up the NAME CARD, Commencement Handbook, four (4) rain plan tickets, and honor cords (if applicable) at the Mailroom, located in Waggoner Library beginning Monday, April 25 – Friday, May 6, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Please make every effort to pick up your items before graduation day.
Doctoral Students (EdD & PhD)
Please return your regalia, the gown and the tam, at the conclusion of the 2 p.m. Convocation on Saturday, May 7, to the designated area outside the Campus Store, on the main level of the Jernigan Student Center.
Awarding of Degrees
In the awarding of degrees, the following procedure will be followed:
The University Provost will ask the candidates to stand. Everyone stands together and remains standing until the President and University Provost finish their comments.
The Provost will read a brief statement to the President who will respond and confer the degrees. The Provost will invite parents, family members, and friends to stand as their graduate's name is called and the diploma cover is received. Graduates may wish to alert them prior to Commencement.
The first two rows of master’s degree candidates will remain standing and proceed to the platform, led by a faculty marshal. Everyone else is seated. As each row comes to the aisle, the marshal will ask the next row to stand as a group and move to the aisle and proceed to the platform. Degrees will be awarded by section. Masters degrees will be awarded first followed by Specialist degrees. Doctoral degrees will be awarded last.
As the candidate approaches the top of the ramp leading to the stage, he/she will give their completed name card* from the packet to Dr. Bartling, standing at the podium. The student will quietly speak their name to the reader, who will then announce the student's name.
Each graduate will wait at the top of the ramp until his/her name and honors have been read and then walk across the stage and receive their diploma folder. Graduates will pause for a moment when receiving the diploma folder from the President to have a picture taken by Gradlmages®. The Chairman of the Board of Trustees will also give congratulations.
Doctoral candidates will be hooded after their name is called, prior to receiving the diploma folder.
Graduates will descend by the opposite ramp, have a photo taken, and then return to their original row. They will remain standing until the complete row of graduates has returned, and then be seated together as a row.
*It is important that graduates complete the name card on the back and they bring the card to the Commencement Convocation.
Additional Information for Graduates
Summer graduates must be within 6 hours of graduation by the end of the spring semester in order to be eligible to participate in commencement. In addition, the summer graduate must have a feasible plan for completing all graduation requirements by August 15. Summer graduates are expected to follow their plan for program completion. All courses are to be taken in summer school at Trevecca unless there is advance approval through the Office of Academic Records.
Diplomas will be mailed. Academic Records will have one month after the conferral date to award the degrees. For May conferrals, diplomas will be mailed the first week of June, providing there are no holds on the student account. For August conferrals, diplomas will be mailed the second week of September, providing there are no holds on the student account. Please communicate this information with parent(s)/guardian(s) as well.
Final decision about implementation of the rain plan
A decision about using the rain plan will be made as soon as possible prior to the time of each ceremony. However, that decision may not happen until two hours prior to any of the ceremonies. In case of rain during the time of any of the individual ceremonies, only the event affected by weather will be moved inside. Please see the Inclement Weather tab for complete details about the rain plan.
Inclement Weather Plan
All Commencement Convocations will be held on The Quad unless there is a significant weather issue.
Final decision about implementation of the rain plan
A decision about the location of the ceremonies will be made as soon as possible. However, that decision may not happen until two hours prior to either of the ceremonies. In case of rain during the time of the individual ceremonies, only the event affected by weather will be moved inside. The university will post an announcement on Trevecca's website up to one hour before the ceremony should we need to revert to the rain plan. In addition, up-to-date information will be available via the official university Facebook page and Twitter page .
Should the Inclement Weather Plan be implemented, seating will be limited. Graduates should locate the rain plan tickets included in their graduation/regalia packet.
Graduates who chose to have their regalia shipped to campus will pick up their regalia, name card, Commencement Handbook, four (4) rain plan tickets, and honor cords (if applicable) at the Mailroom, located in Waggoner Library Monday, April 25 – Friday, May 6, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Graduates will receive an email notification that they have a package to pick up when their regalia comes in. Please pick up your items before graduation day.
Graduates who chose to have their regalia shipped to home: will need to pick up the name card, Commencement Handbook, (4) rain plan tickets, and honor cords (if applicable) at the Mailroom, located in Waggoner Library beginning Monday, April 25 – Friday, May 6, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Please make every effort to pick up your items before graduation day.
Locations of Indoor Ceremonies
Commencement convocations will be held at 9:00 a.m. for the following groups in the stated locations:
Associate and Baccalaureate degree candidates, Traditional – Moore Gymnasium
Associate and Baccalaureate degree candidates, Non-Traditional – Boone Convocation Center
Commencement convocations will be held at 2 p.m. for the following groups in the stated locations:
Boone Convocation Center