Graduate Commencement

Announcements	Hotels	Speaker
Accessible Parking and Seating	Map	Strollers
Candidate Attire	Miscellaneous	Tickets
Cap & Gown	Nonattendance	Weather
Ceremony Schedule	Parking	Live Streaming Video
Commencement Mass	Photographer
Diploma	Program Coordinators
Hometown press release	Reception

 

   Announcements: [top]
You will receive five announcements from your graduate program coordinator. You may purchase additional announcements at the Bookstore. Personalized announcements can be ordered by connecting to the following link or through the St. Thomas Bookstore website. 

   Accessible Parking and Seating: [top]
Guests can pull up to the cut-out on Kellogg Boulevard at the RiverCentre (accessed going west bound on Kellogg) and drop off those that need extra assistance or cannot walk long distances.  The driver can then pull into the St. Paul RiverCentre ramp and park.  There are parking spaces in the ramp that are dedicated, accessible spaces. 

There are designated seating areas at the ceremony for people with mobility impairments.  These seats are on the floor/ground level.  People also can sit at the end of a row and ask an usher to remove a chair.  Ushers will be available to assist people with mobility issues. 

   Candidate Attire: [top]
In keeping with the solemnity of the occasion, graduates must wear university issued academic regalia, including cap and gown. Only University issued honor cords, medallions, and Kente cloth stoles are also approved for wear during the ceremony. No other oversized personal adornments, such as; flower leis, hats, signs, ribbons, or scarves are acceptable.

The cap should be worn with the mortarboard parallel to the ground and without any additional modification to the appearance.  Candidates receiving a graduate or professional degree wear the tassel on the left side throughout the ceremony. 

It is recommended that personal clothing include dark pants for men, dark pants or skirts for women, and comfortable dark shoes. For graduate ceremonies, it is recommended that shirts or blouses with buttons be worn to properly attach the hood. Jeans or flip flops are not acceptable.

   

Cap & Gown: [top]
You will need a picture I.D. when picking up your cap and gown. Pick-up times for the Minneapolis Campus Bookstore area as follows:
Nov. 30 - Dec. 17
Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. .
Friday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m. to 12 noon.
(Please note that the bookstore is closed on Sundays).

Pick-up times for the St. Paul campus bookstore are as follows:
Dec. 14- Dec 17
Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.
Friday, Dec 18 - 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Opus College of Business candidates must have their measurements to their graduation program coordinator by September 15.
All other graduate candidates must have their measurements to their graduate program coordinators by September 30.

   

Commencement Ceremony:
Friday, December 18 - 7 p.m.
Please plan accordingly and allow extra time to find parking if you are driving to the RiverCentre.  Students please be sure to have your cap and gown and tassel with you when you arrive for the line up at the RiverCentre. 
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5:30 p.m.	Faculty and staff marshals report to Saint Paul RiverCentre meeting room 3.
6 p.m.	Doors open to St. Paul RiverCentre Grand Ballrooom.
6:15 p.m.	Graduate candidates report to Saint Paul RiverCentre meeting room 5 to line up.  When you arrive at meeting room 5 find your name on the alphabetical lists located at the entrance to door 5.  Next to your name will be your row number. The numbers will be posted on the walls of meeting rooms 4-6.  Find your row number and go to that row.  The faculty marshal for your row will have your reader card with your name on it and your hood.  Please do not remove the hoods from the chairs, the hoods have been counted specifically for the students in each row.  The faculty marshal will place your hood on you and help you get in the right order.  Stay with your row.
6:30 p.m.	Faculty and staff (non-marshals) report to Saint Paul RiverCentre meeting room 3 to line up.  Appropriate academic regalia is required.
7 p.m.	Commencement exercises begin with academic procession from St. Paul RiverCentre Meeting Rooms 4-6 to the Grand Ballroom.
8 p.m.	President's Reception in the St. Paul RiverCentre Ballroom Concurse/ Rotunda Overlook.  Graduates, guests, faculty and administrators are invited.

 Commencement Mass: [top]
The commencement mass begins at 1 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Paul.  It is a long-standing tradition at St. Thomas.  You should sit with your family and guests.  Caps and gowns are not worn during mass.  Cars cannot be left in the Cathedral parking lot following Mass.  You must find parking near the Saint Paul RiverCentre for the commencement ceremony.

   Diploma: [top]
You will receive your diploma when all requirements for the degree are completed. In addition, your tuition account must be paid in full. Diplomas will be mailed approximately 8 weeks after all requirements are verified as completed.

The size of all diplomas is 11x 14 inches.  Information on the diploma includes the name of the university, the university seal, the graduate’s name, the degree represented by the diploma, and the date of graduation

   Hometown press release: [top]
Hometown press releases are issued for all verified undergraduate and graduate students.  Please note that the list of verified students is not available until approximately one month after the end of a term.  In addition, it can take two to three weeks to process and mail the list.  Publication is at the discretion of local newspapers.  If you have questions regarding the releases, please e-mail Tom Couillard at tecouillard@stthomas.edu. 

   

Hotels: [top]
St. Paul
Crowne Plaza Hotel
11 E. Kellogg Blvd.
(651) 292 - 1900

Embassy Suites Hotel
175 E. 10th Street
(651) 224 - 5400

St. Paul Hotel
350 Market Street
(651) 292 - 9292
(800) 292 - 9292

Holiday Inn Express -- Bandana Square (not downtown)
1010 W Bandana Blvd.
(651) 647 - 1637

Roseville
Days in Roseville
2550 Cleveland Avenue No.
(651) 636 - 7939

Minneapolis (dowtown)
Doubletree Guest Suites
1101 LaSalle Avenue
(800) 222 - TREE

Bloomington (near the airport and Mall of America)
Comfot Inn - Airport
1321 E. 78th Street
(952) 854 - 3400
(800) 228 - 5150

Comfort Inn & Suites - Mall of America
2221 Killebrew Drive
(952) 854 - 5555
(800) 456 - 4000

Holiday Inn Select - Airport
3 Appletree Square
(952) 854 - 9000

   

Miscellaneous: [top]
Students and faculty do not leave valuables in the line up area during the ceremony. 
 
You may walk a distance from your car to the location of the ceremony so plan accordingly.

   Nonattendance: [top]
Please notify your graduate program coordinator if you do not plan to attend the graduation ceremony.

   Parking: [top]
Go to the RiverCentre parking website www.rivercentre.org/parking for parking information.  Parking at the RiverCentre parking ramp is $10.00 for event parking.  The other parking ramps near the RiverCentre will charge their standard fees for parking the day of commencement.

   Photographer: [top]
A professional photographer from Grad Trak Graduation Images will take your picture as you receive your diploma. You will receive a passport-sized full-color proof in the mail approximately one week after the ceremony, with no obligation to purchase. www.gradimages.com or (800) 261 - 2576.

   Picture Taking: [top]
Picture taking on or near the stage is prohibited.

Graduate Program Coordinators:  [top]
Art History Barb Kocik bakocik@stthomas.edu	Music Bev Johnson bhjohnson@stthomas.edu
Catholic Studies Maggie Gikling mhgikling@stthomas.edu	School of Divinity Cheri Coffee cjcoffee@stthomas.edu
English Joyce Poley pole2010@stthomas.edu	School of Engineering Joyce Taylor jataylor1@stthomas.edu
Opus College of Business Pam Phairas pfphairas@stthomas.edu College of Applied Professional Studies Brian Kao capsadmit@stthomas.edu	School of Social Work Lisa Dalsin lmdalsin@stthomas.edu Opus College of Business Graduate Programs in Software Doug Stubeda djstubeda@stthomas.edu

 

   Reception:  [top]
A reception will immediately follow the ceremony in the Ballroom Concourse/ Rotunda Overlook. 

   Speaker: [top]
Sr. Sally Furay, Esq., member of the St. Thomas Board of Trustees and Provost Emerita of the University of San Diego.

   

Strollers: [top]
Strollers will not be permitted in the Ballroom for the ceremony.  Strollers may be kept in meeting room 3 during the ceremony.

   Tickets: [top]
No tickets will be issued for this graduation ceremony. It is suggested that you limit guests to a maximum of five.

   Weather: [top]
Please click here for the most current weather conditions.

For the most up to date event information on the day of Commencement, call the event line at 651-962-7434.

   Live Streaming Video: [top]
Live streaming video will be available during the ceremonies.