Commencement

Graduate students will receive two tickets for the Master & Doctoral Hooding/Commencement ceremony in the Sitnik Theater. Graduate students may have additional guests attend at a location on campus where the ceremony will be livestreamed. 

Undergraduate students will receive four tickets to their commencement event. Undergraduates may have additional guests, beyond their four tickets, for the ceremonies on Anderson Field. Those guests must bring their own seating or may stand during the ceremony outside of the tented area. Only ticketed guests will have seats provided on commencement day under the tent. 

Tickets will be distributed at the time of cap & gown pick up. Lost or stolen tickets cannot be replaced, so please handle your tickets with care.

The graduate and undergraduate ceremonies will be livestreamed. Graduates are strongly encouraged to let their families know that the ceremony will be live-streamed. The link to the live stream will be available on the Commencement page of the Centenary University website when we get closer to the event. 

Caps and gowns will be available for pickup, along with your commencement tickets, in the Registrar’s Office on the lower level of the Seay Administration Building. You will receive emails in the coming weeks when caps & gowns are available for pick up. 

No, we cannot ship caps and gowns. The commencement regalia will be available for pickup in the Registrar’s Office in the Seay Administration Building. 

If you have already graduated, live out of state or pick up is impossible, please send an email explaining your special circumstances to [email protected]. Those students can pick up their regalia on the day of their commencement ceremony. 

International students may pick up their regalia and tickets on the day of the event or designate a representative to pick them up for you. 

If you would like to have someone else pick up your regalia and tickets, please send an email to [email protected], telling us the name of the person (one name only) you are authorizing to do so.  That person can pick up your cap, gown, and tickets at the Registrar’s Office. They will need to show a form of ID and sign a form stating that they have received your cap, gown, and tickets.

No. If you have already graduated, live out of state, or pick up is impossible you may pick up your tickets on the day of your commencement ceremony.

If you fit this description, please send an email explaining your special circumstances to [email protected].

Please reach out to your respective organization or honors society regarding stoles or cords. 

Latin honors medals will be distributed at the time of graduation check-in. Students who graduated in January will receive their Latin honors medals at the time of check-in as well.  Latin honors are awarded to students who have completed their degree at the time of the May ceremony.  

Yes. If you would like to have someone else pick up your tickets, please send an email to [email protected], telling us the name of the person (one name only) you are authorizing to do so.  That person can pick up your tickets at the Registrar’s Office. They will need to show a form of ID and sign a form stating that they have received your tickets. If the tickets are lost no duplicate tickets will be issued.

Yes, if you have already graduated, live out of state, and have received permission to do so ahead of time from the Registrar’s Office. Please send an email explaining your special circumstances to [email protected].

Commencement regalia for all others will be available for pick up in the Registrar’s Office. You will receive an email when they are available for pick up. 

The Master & Doctoral Hooding & Commencement ceremony will be held in the Sitnik Theater in the David and Carol and Lackland Center on the Hackettstown Campus. 

The Undergraduate Commencement ceremonies will be held on the Anderson Field, which is directly behind Anderson Hall. These locations have been chosen because they offer the greatest level of comfort and convenience to our graduates and their families, particularly those with disabilities or special needs. Anderson Field is adjacent to the David and Carol Lackland Center, which means easier access to accessible bathrooms and parking.

For the Master & Doctoral Hooding/Commencement ceremony - Graduates must check in between 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm in the lobby of the Lackland Building. Graduates will check in at the Registrar’s table to receive their Reader Name Card and then line up for the processional. 

For the Undergraduate Commencement ceremony – Graduates must check in between 9:00 am and 10:30 am in front of the Seay Building. Graduates will check in at the Registrar’s tables to receive their Reader Name Card and then line up for the processional.

There will be a Registrar’s table with the Reader Name Cards for each group. You must check in to receive your Reader Name Card! 

Ticketed guests may be seated one hour prior to the start time of the event. Guests must be seated no later than 15 minutes before the start of the event. 

Only students who have already submitted Applications for Degree Conferral may participate in the Commencement ceremony. If there are questions regarding a student’s academic eligibility they will be contacted by the Registrar’s Office. 

For billing questions, please call the Student Accounts Office at 908-852-1400, ext. 2245, or 
 [email protected]

To make a request for a disability-related accommodation for commencement: Disability Accommodations Request Form

For the undergraduate ceremonies on the Anderson Field there will be disability-related parking available in the Faculty/Staff parking lot, accessed from Plane Street. This will be for individuals who have made a prior request, present with a current medical need and/or have a disability parking placard.  

For additional information please contact Marvin Bell at 908.852.1400, ext. 2051, or [email protected].

Parking will be available in multiple locations, but the earlier you arrive, the easier it will be to park. The graduate ceremony will take place in the David & Carol Lackland Center and there is parking in the parking lot in front of the building, accessed from 3^rd Avenue.  Please use “715 Grand Avenue, Hackettstown” on your GPS.  The undergraduate commencement ceremony will take place on Anderson Field, directly behind Anderson Hall. Parking will be available at:

• The David and Carol Lackland Center parking lot, accessed from 3^rd Avenue (please use 715 Grand Avenue, Hackettstown on your GPS).
  
  
• The side streets around the University (please heed all local signage and regulations)
  
  
• For the undergraduate ceremony only:  Disability-related parking in the Faculty/Staff parking lot, accessed from Plane St. This must be pre-arranged; please see details in question 14 above.
  
  
• For the undergraduate ceremony only:  Hatchery Hill Elementary School at 398 5^th Ave, Hackettstown.  Shuttle service will be provided.

Yes, Student Life will be providing a schedule of celebratory events the week of Commencement including traditions such as the President’s ball. More information will be forthcoming, but any questions should be directed to Student Life at [email protected]

For information on other events during Commencement week, please contact the Student Life office at 908.852.1400, ext. 4291, or [email protected].

There will be a graduation rehearsal on Tuesday evening, May 6^th in the Sitnik Theater at 6:00 pm for undergraduate students only. There is no rehearsal for the Graduate Hooding & Commencement ceremony.

If you did not submit your Application for Degree Conferral form when it was due and indicate you intended to participate, we have not ordered a cap and gown for you, so unfortunately, it is too late to change your mind. If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact the Registrar’s office at 908-852-1400, ext. 2214, or [email protected].

Yes, but please keep in mind this is a formal ceremony and we ask that all cap decorations be done respectfully and in good taste. Student Life will be conducting a cap decorating contest and will follow up with more information.

See list of local accommodations. Note: Accommodations are not affiliated with Centenary University.