Schedule & Ticket Info
Schedule of Events
The Commencement 2010 schedule will be posted as soon as it becomes available in the spring. In the meantime, you may find it useful to look at the May 2009 schedule of events (PDF) to get a general idea of the weekend's activities. Please be aware, however, that the schedule and other Commencement-related information may change from year to year.
Ticket Information
Most events during Commencement weekend are open to all family members and guests of our degree candidates, however a few events do require tickets.
Main Commencement Ceremony (Sunday)
Tickets are required for the main Commencement ceremony on Sunday at William and Mary Hall. Four tickets are allocated to each degree candidate and these tickets are free of charge. Commencement tickets are distributed in April to graduating students only. Most students pick up their tickets from the office of the Vice President for Student Affairs (Campus Center 219). Pick-up dates and times are announced via e-mail in the spring. VIMS students pick up their tickets from the Registrar's office at the VIMS campus. Contact the VIMS Registrar for the exact times that tickets will be distributed. If students do not pick up their tickets by the last official day of distribution, they may only be able to get two tickets, rather than four.
After allocating four tickets per graduate, there is usually a large number of tickets left. Students may request a fifth ticket from this pool of extra seats via the "Get 5" web page. Students will be notified by e-mail when the "Get 5" web page is active. If the number of requests exceeds the number of remaining seats, tickets will be distributed on the basis of a randomized computer drawing from among all of the requests received.
Special tickets are available for the disability seating section. This section is reserved for guests in wheelchairs, plus one companion each. Tickets for the disability seating section are considered part of a student's regular allotment of tickets. For more information on services for guests with disabilities, see the Disability Services page.
Students may receive Commencement tickets only once for a given degree. As students pick up tickets, their names are entered into a computer database for tracking tickets. Students who pick up tickets and later find they will not graduate in May must return their tickets to the Student Affairs office. Otherwise, they will not be able to receive tickets again the following year.
** Please note that the buying or selling of Commencement tickets is prohibited by the College. **
Departmental Ceremonies and Diploma Presentations (Sunday)
Following the main Commencement ceremony, schools and departments will distribute diplomas at locations throughout the campus and surrounding area. These ceremonies enable each department to recognize students individually. Tickets are usually not required for these events. Students should check with their major department to confirm whether or not there are any limits on attendance at the department ceremony.
Still have questions? Visit the Schedule & Tickets FAQ page.