Arrival. Doors open one hour before the ceremony begins. Please arrive no later than thirty minutes before the ceremony begins.

• At the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, the entrance for graduating students is by the back parking lot on the south side of the venue and easily accessible from the main Civic Center parking lot. The map provided below shows the graduates' entrance. Guests may use the Center's main entrances.
• When you arrive, you should be carrying your gown, not wearing it. You will not be allowed through security wearing your gown. Caps can be worn before entry. After you enter the Tucker Center, you will be able to dress in your regalia.
• Have your Grad Pass out and ready to be scanned before stepping up to the venue entrance. All graduates must present their Grad Pass and a photo ID to enter the Tucker Center. Graduates will be sent a link to their personalized Grad Pass the week of the ceremony. To gain entry, you may:
  1. present a printed Grad Pass.
  2. display the Grad Pass on your mobile phone.
  3. take and display a screenshot of the Grad Pass from the link we send you.

Seating. If you RSVP to attend the commencement ceremony, bachelor, master, and specialist graduates will receive an email notification the week of the event that will include their specific seating assignment.

• Once you have entered the venue and have dressed in your regalia, you should find your way out to the arena and locate your assigned seat. After finding your seat, you may not walk around in the arena. Marshals and staff will be available in the arena to assist graduates with finding their seats and, when it is time, the marshals will direct each row of graduates to the stage to have their names announced.
• Note: Doctoral students attending the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony will not have a seat assignment sent to them prior to the event; instead, after meeting with their faculty members at a designated meeting room, doctoral students will be directed out to the arena to find their college section and then their seat with the assistance of a marshal.
• After finding your seat in the arena, on the back of your chair, you will find your yellow "Name Card." Please hold onto this card for later in the ceremony. When the marshal directs your row to the stage, you will take this card with you..

Departing. Graduates are expected to stay for the duration of the ceremony. The ceremony will last approximately an hour and a half. At the end of the commencement program, after the representatives on stage have exited, graduates will be directed to leave through the back of the area.