• We are excited to welcome you to campus to celebrate your graduate's commencement!

    ATTENDANCE

    Due to the expected number of guests, reserved seating is not available and tickets are required. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

    Guests who cannot attend in person can watch the ceremony via a livestream on our website. 

    CEREMONY LENGTH

    The ceremony will last approximately one hour. Following the ceremony, graduates will be led outdoors where they can meet with their guests. Please make appropriate arrangements.

    Travel info

    Airports

    Get Directions to Waldorf

    Get Directions to the Hanson Fieldhouse

    Get Directions to Boman Fine Art Center

    Area Lodging

  • Ordering: Graduation caps and gowns were ordered when you completed your graduation application.

    Pick Up: They will be available for pickup on Friday, May 2, at the following times and locations:

    • 9-11:30 a.m.–Warrior Room (basement of Salveson Hall)
    • 2 p.m.–Boman Fine Arts Center Lobby

    Instructions: We recommend trying your gown on and hanging it up before the day. Undergraduates should wear their tassels on the right side, and graduate students should wear their tassels on the left side before the ceremony. Graduates will then be instructed to move their tassel to the opposite side to indicate that the wearer has passed from one level of learning to another. Students are allowed to decorate their caps if they so choose.

  • Guests—Doors will open one hour before each ceremony. The morning ceremony will start promptly at 10 a.m., and the afternoon ceremony will start promptly at 2 p.m. Please use the main entrance on the west side of the building. 

    Graduates, Faculty, and Administration—The Line-up begins 45 minutes before each ceremony in the Hanson Fieldhouse; please arrive wearing your regalia. Graduates should not bring purses or other valuables; there is no secure storage during the ceremony. We recommend having family or friends keep all valuables during the ceremony. 

    Board of Trustees—You will have special reserved seating. Please arrive anytime after 9 a.m. using the main entrance on the west side of the Boman Fine Arts Center. Check-in at the table in the lobby, and the volunteer there will provide instructions on where to report.

    • Line-up begins at 9:15 a.m. for Morning Ceremony and 1:15 p.m. for Afternoon Ceremony. 
    • Line-up will take place at the Hanson Fieldhouse. Volunteers will be there to direct you to where you need to go. 
    • Step-off will take place at 9:45 a.m. for Morning Ceremony and 1:45 p.m. for Afternoon Ceremony.
    • At the time of the processional, graduates will depart from the Hanson Fieldhouse and walk to the Boman Fine Arts Center. 

  • Tickets—Graduates are allowed a maximum of 4 tickets per person. Guest tickets are required for the ceremony. People who need special seating arrangements (disabled/elderly) should email registrar@waldorf.edu before the ceremony. Overflow seating will be available in the Mezzanine.

    Please advise your guests to arrive 45 minutes before the ceremony or earlier. Early arrival ensures a better chance of finding a good parking spot and the best seat for the ceremony. The Boman Fine Arts Center is handicap accessible, and special seating will be offered for those in wheelchairs.

  • FREE parking is available on the street and in the parking lots next to the Boman Fine Arts Center and Hanson Fieldhouse. 

    Handicap parking is in the first rows nearest the front doors. Several seating locations accommodate different needs; please see a staff member for assistance.

  • All diplomas will be mailed out a few weeks after commencement, once acccount balances have been taken care of.

  • Please contact the registrar's office at registrar@waldorf.edu to make alternative arrangements.

  • The campus store (bookstore) will be open to help you find that special graduation gift.  Call 641.585.8159 for special orders!

    Order customized graduation announcements.

    Don't forget, you can purchase diploma frames in person at the Bookstore or online.

  • Graduates and their families are invited to dine in the dining hall. Students on a meal plan are encouraged to use their student IDs. Cash is accepted at the door.

    Friday, May 2:

    • BREAKFAST – 7-8:30 a.m., $7
    • LUNCH – 11 a.m.-1 p.m., $7
    • DINNER – 5-7 p.m., $7

    Saturday, May 3:

    • BRUNCH–11 a.m.-1 p.m., $7

  • Medical/Emergency needs — see a staff member.

    Questions? Contact registrar@waldorf.edu.