Schedule of Events
Class of 2023 Commencement Weekend & Event Traditions
Weather Plans
The Class of 2023 Commencement schedule is also available in the following formats:
- Select W&M Grad in the W&M Mobile app to browse and save events with the latest updates (available late April through Commencement Weekend).
- View the online calendar for the latest updates & to add events to your calendar.
- Download or print the schedule (pdf).
Friday, April 28, 2023
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. — Grad Student Bell Ringing
Location: Wren Building
Friday, May 5, 2023
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. — Last Day of Class Bell Ringing
Location: Wren Building
Tuesday, May 16, 2023
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. — W&M Military and Veteran Students Hail & Farewell Open House
Location: Alumni House, Leadership Hall
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
9:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. — Senior Class Dance
Location: Sunken Garden Tent
Weather Location: Sadler Center, Chesapeake
Thursday, May 18, 2023
12:30 p.m. — U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Programs Graduation Ceremony and Reception
Location: Wren Building, Great Hall
4:00 p.m. — Phi Beta Kappa Initiation
Location: Wren Building, Chapel
4:30 p.m. — Neuroscience Commencement Reception
Location: Integrated Science Center III, Auditorium Room 1221
5:00 p.m. — Phi Beta Kappa Reception
Location: Sunken Garden Tent
Weather Location: Sadler Center, Tidewater
6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. — ROTC Commissioning Ceremony
Location: Sadler Center, Commonwealth Auditorium & Lobby
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. — Khatalampay: Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern Ceremony and Reception
Location: Sadler Center, Chesapeake Rooms
9:30 p.m. — Candlelight Ceremony
Location: Wren Building, Yard (CW Side)
Weather Location: Sunken Garden Tent
Friday, May 19, 2023
9:00 - 10:30 a.m. — Lavender Graduation Ceremony
Location: Sunken Garden Tent
Weather Location: Unity Hall
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. — Ceremonia Raices: LatinX Graduation Ceremony
Location: Sadler Center, Commonwealth Auditorium
1:00 - 3:30 p.m. — Hulon Willis Alumni Association & Lemon Project Donning of the Kente Ceremony
Location: Sunken Garden Tent
Weather Location: Unity Hall
3:00 p.m. — Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Reception
Location: Blow Memorial Hall, Room 201
3:00 p.m. — Spiritual Celebration for the Graduates
Location: Sadler Center, Commonwealth Auditorium
3:30 p.m. — School of Business Undergrad Open House
Location: Mason School of Business
3:30 p.m. — Integrative Conservation
Location: Integrated Science Center III, Auditorium Room 1221
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. — Main Ceremony (All Degrees)
Location: Zable Stadium
Weather Location: Kaplan Arena
- 5:30 p.m. — Gates to Zable Stadium open for guests (tickets required)
- 6:15 p.m. — Walk Across Campus (Wren Building)
- 6:45 p.m. — Candidates for degrees line up (Sadler Terrace)
- 6:50 p.m. — All guests are asked to be seated
- 7:00 p.m. — Academic procession begins (degree candidates, faculty, and official party enter)
- Approx. 9:00 p.m. — Ceremony ends
Saturday, May 20, 2023
School & Departmental Ceremonies or Receptions (no tickets required)
9:00 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
- Anthropology - Jefferson Lawn (Weather: Sadler Center, Commonwealth Auditorium)
- Art & Art History - Andrews Hall, Foyer
- Data Science - ISC3 Auditorium, Room 1221
- Chemistry - Sadler Center, Chesapeake Rooms
- Classical Studies - Undergraduate Admission, Presentation Room
- Economics - Wren Building, Yard (Weather: Bee McLeod Recreation Center, Gymnasium)
- Linguistics - Crim Dell Meadow (Weather: Tucker Hall, 127A)
- School of Education - School of Education, Courtyard (301 Monticello Ave)
10:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
11:30 a.m.
1:00 p.m.
- Biology - Kaplan Arena
- Film & Media Studies - Undergraduate Admission, Presentation Room
- Geology - ISC3 Auditorium, Room 1221
- History - Alumni House, Hunter Hall
- Music - Ewell Hall, Recital Hall
- Physics - Sadler Center, Chesapeake Rooms
- Public Policy - Wren Building, Yard (Weather: Unity Hall)
- Psychological Sciences - Bee McLeod Recreation Center, Gymnasium
- Sociology - Sadler Center, Commonwealth Auditorium
- Religious Studies - Tucker Hall, Theater (Room 127A)
- Theatre, Speech, and Dance - Kimball Theater (428 W Duke of Gloucester St.)
1:30 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m.
4:30 p.m.
- Computer Science - Alumni House, Hunter Hall
- English - Sadler Center, Chesapeake Rooms
- Government - Wren Building, Yard (Weather: Bee McLeod Recreation Center, Gymnasium)
- Kinesiology & Health Sciences - Sunken Garden Tent (Weather: Campus Center, Unity Hall)
- Modern Languages - Sadler Center, Commonwealth Auditorium
- Philosophy - Blow Memorial Hall, Room 201
- Computational & Applied Mathematics & Statistics - School of Education, Matoaka Woods Room
