The university will hold its spring commencement ceremony for students receiving Master’s Degrees, Sixth Year Professional Diplomas, and Doctoral Degrees.
The afternoon commencement will be held at 2 p.m. for the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Health & Human Services. The evening commencement will be held at 7 p.m. for the School of Business and the College of Education.
Thursday, May 19, 2022, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts
501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT 06515
Live Stream Available
Commencement will be streamed on Facebook and YouTube for friends and family who are unable to attend the ceremony.
Commencement for College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Health & Human Services
Commencement for School of Business and the College of Education
Commencement Speakers
Alice M. Forrester
Chief Executive Officer at Clifford Beers Clinic in New Haven, CT
Gregory B. Butler
Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Eversource Energy
Eligible Commencement Participants
Students eligible to participate in commencement must have completed their degree or diploma requirements in the Fall 2021 or Spring 2022 semesters. Students who are completing their final six (6) credits of coursework towards their degree during Summer Session 2022 are also eligible to participate in graduate commencement.
Register to Participate in the Graduate Ceremony
The John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts has limited seating, and as such, only those students who register for commencement will receive tickets for their guests. The number of guest tickets will be determined by the number of students who plan to attend; however, it is expected that each participant will receive a maximum of four (4) tickets.
The deadline to register for participation in commencement is April 8th.
Academic Regalia
Candidates for Graduate Degrees and Sixth Year Diplomas must wear appropriate academic regalia (Master’s and Doctoral Degree students wear cap, tassel, gown, and hood; Sixth Year Diploma students wear cap, tassel, gown, hood, and stole).
Academic regalia for both Undergraduate and Graduate students will be available in the Bookstore starting Monday, April 4th.
Students receiving a Master’s Degree, Sixth Year Diploma or Doctoral Degree must purchase their academic regalia at least 2-3 weeks in advance of the ceremony. No academic regalia will be available for purchase on the day of commencement.
Please Note: All Doctoral candidates must visit the SCSU Bookstore website to order their cap and gowns. Orders will be accepted beginning April 1, 2022.
Sixth Year Diploma candidates may wear the master’s level academic regalia they wore at previous graduate level commencements, but they still need to purchase the special Sixth Year Diploma stole. Students who are not attired in the appropriate academic regalia will not be allowed to participate in the commencement ceremony. Please contact the SCSU bookstore at (203) 392-5270 for more information about how to order regalia.
Academic Procession for the Ceremony
The afternoon commencement procession will begin promptly at 2 p.m. for the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Health & Human Services. Therefore, you must report by 12:30 p.m. in Engleman Hall to check in and receive a name card. There will be a line position number on that card indicating where you will be in the procession.
The evening commencement procession will begin promptly at 7 p.m. for the School of Business and the College of Education. Therefore, you must report by 5:30 p.m. in Engleman Hall to check in and receive a name card. There will be a line position number on that card indicating where you will be in the procession.
Master’s and Doctoral Degree candidates wear their caps, tassels, and gowns in the procession, but carry their hoods over their right arm for the procession. The hood will be invested on you when you are called on stage during the ceremony.
Sixth Year Diploma candidates wear their caps, tassels, gowns, and hoods in the procession, but carry their stoles over their right arm for the procession. The stole will be invested on you when you are called on stage during the ceremony.
Services for Persons with Disabilities
The University will provide special services for persons with disabilities. These services include interpreters and large-type printed materials. A limited number of accessible wheelchair locations in Lyman are available. Please call (203) 392-6828 (Voice) or (203) 392-6131 (TDD), if you wish to use any of these services. Also, persons with State handicapped parking stickers on their cars may use the faculty/staff lot behind the Lyman Center.
Guest Tickets
All seating in the John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts is ticketed. Only those who register for commencement will receive tickets for their guests. It is anticipated that each participant will receive a maximum of four (4) tickets*. Please be sure to bring your driver’s license and student ID when you collect your tickets. If you are unable to collect your tickets in-person, a friend or relative may collect them for you provided that they submit written permission from you along with a photocopy of your driver’s license and student ID.
Ticket distribution: Pick up tickets in the office of Graduate and Professional Studies located on the 4th floor of the Buley Library, Suite 444.
Tickets will be distributed May 2nd-May 6th, 2022.
Hours: Monday – Thursday (8:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.) / Friday (8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
Those tickets not picked up by May 6th will be distributed to other students seeking additional tickets for the ceremony. Students who would like to request additional tickets will do so when they are picking up their tickets.
*Please Note: Graduates will receive between 2-4 tickets depending on the number of registered participants.
Not Participating?
If your plans have changed and you will not be participating in the ceremony, please contact Graduate and Professional Studies by phone: (203) 392- 5240; by fax: (203) 392-5235; or email: GPSInfo@SouthernCT.edu.