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Commencement

Spring 2008 Commencement Information

Graduate School Ceremony

Friday, May 9 | 3 p.m. | Cassell Coliseum

• Keynote speaker: Tae-sik Lee, the Republic of Korea ambassador to the United States
  Read the related news story.

(There are no guest limits or ticket requirements for this ceremony.)

Master’s degrees, certificates, education specialist, and doctoral degrees will be conferred at the Graduate School ceremony. The ceremony is expected to last approximately two hours. The ceremony will be broadcast locally, and a DVD may be purchased from the University Bookstore.

Diplomas

Doctoral candidates will receive diplomas on stage. Master‘s diplomas, education specialist diplomas, and certificates will be available for candidates who will have met graduation requirements by April 30. These diplomas will be distributed at the Graduate Life Center in Rooms B and C after Commencement until 6:30 p.m. Photo identification will be required. Any diplomas not distributed will be mailed shortly after Commencement.

Participation

All graduate degree candidates must confirm their plans to attend Commencement by April 11, 2008. Questions pertaining to eligibility to participate should be directed to the Graduate School at 540/231-8636. For complete details, you may visit its website at www.grads.vt.edu/academics/completion/index.html.

• Doctoral candidates who will have met all requirements for graduation by April 30, 2008, are eligible to participate in Commencement. Doctoral candidates should report to practice gym 220 on the ground level of Cassell Coliseum. Enter on the Spring Road side of the building. Check-in will begin at 1:30 p.m. and end at 2:30 p.m.
• Master’s, education specialist, and certificate candidates who are eligible to participate in Commencement should report to practice gym 213 on the ground level of Cassell Coliseum. Enter on the Spring Road side of the building. Check-in will begin at 1:30 p.m. and end at 2:30 p.m.
• Major professors who will be participating in the hooding ceremony should report to practice gym 220 between 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Please check in upon arrival so that your name may be read.
• Faculty participation is encouraged. Please come to practice gym 220 no later than 2:30 p.m. to process.

Guest Seating and Parking

All university parking lots will be open to the public. However, parking in the immediate vicinity of Cassell Coliseum is limited. Families and guests are urged to arrive in time to be seated by 2:30 p.m. The procession will begin promptly at 2:45 p.m. so that all degree candiates will be seated for the start of the program at 3:00 p.m.

University Ceremony

Friday, May 9 | 7:30 p.m. | Lane Stadium

• Keynote speaker: Hoda Kotb, NBC News anchor and Virginia Tech alumna
  • Read the related news story
  • Listen to Kotb's address (MP3)
  • Watch the video (QuickTime)

(There are no guest limits or ticket requirements for this ceremony.)

Associate and bachelor’s degrees will be conferred at the university ceremony. The ceremony is expected to last approximately one hour.

Diplomas

Diplomas will be awarded on Saturday to candidates present at college and departmental ceremonies. Degree candidates wishing to be excused from Commencement must indicate their intentions by going to the Hokie Spa website under “Undergraduate Application for Degree” and clicking on “I will not be attending Commencement.” Graduates not attending Commencement should allow up to 12 weeks after Commencement for delivery of diplomas. For additional graduation-eligibility details, contact the Registrar’s Office at 540/231-6252 or visit the website at www.registrar.vt.edu/graduation.

Participation

If you plan to complete degree requirements in the summer and wish to participate in the spring ceremony, you may do so with the consent of your department.

• Associate and bachelor’s candidates planning to participate in the procession must arrive at the staging area outside the stadium gates behind the south end zone no later than 6:30 p.m. Signs will be posted designating the location for lineup of each college’s candidates.
• Faculty and recipients of graduate degrees conferred earlier in the day are encouraged to process and should report to the south end zone of Lane Stadium no later than 6:45 p.m. Signs outside the stadium gates will direct you to the staging area.

Guest Seating and Parking

All university parking lots will be open to the public. However, parking in the immediate vicinity of Lane Stadium is limited. Families and guests are urged to arrive in time to be seated by 7:00 p.m. The procession will begin promptly at 7:10 p.m. so that all degree candidates will be seated for the start of the program at 7:30 p.m. To assist you in locating the section where your degree candidate is seated, the following plan for seating is provided:

South End Zone

Inclement Weather Instructions

In the event of inclement weather, the university ceremony will be held in Cassell Coliseum beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 9, 2008. All degree candidates will be asked to report in academic apparel to the floor of Cassell Coliseum for immediate seating instructions. The processional will be cancelled.

The decision to move the ceremony indoors will be made no later than 3 p.m. on Friday. Once the decision has been made, details will be posted on the Virginia Tech homepage (www.vt.edu) and the Virginia Tech News homepage (www.vtnews.vt.edu) and a broadcast e-mail will be sent to all students, faculty, and staff. Information will also be recorded on the University Weather Line (540/231-6668) and will be broadcast on WVTF-FM 89.1 and other local media.

National Capital Region Ceremony

Sunday, May 11 | 1: 30 p.m. | Center for the Arts in Fairfax, Va.

(There are no guest limits or ticket requirements for this ceremony.)

Master’s degrees, certificates, education specialist, and doctoral degrees will be conferred at this ceremony. The ceremony is expected to last approximately two hours.

Participation

All candidates must confirm their plans to attend Commencement by April 11, 2008. Please confirm your attendance through Hokie Spa. Refer to the following website for information: www.ncr.vt.edu/commencement. You may also contact the Graduate Student Services Office at 703/538-8327 or e-mail your inquiry to gsso@nvc.vt.edu.

• All candidates who are eligible to participate in Commencement should report to George Mason University, Center for the Arts, in Fairfax, VA. Student and faculty check-in begins at 12:00 p.m. Academic regalia is required for all participants.

Guest Seating and Parking

Guests are urged to arrive in time to be seated in advance of the processional, which will begin promptly at 1:30 p.m. Free parking is available for this ceremony in the large lot across the street from the Center for the Arts. There is a fee to park in the adjacent garage.

General Information

Graduation Degree Requirements

In order to receive a degree, a student must have satisfied all academic requirements, must have fulfilled all financial obligations to the university, and must not have any pending charges, active suspensions, or dismissals from the Honor or Student Judicial systems.

Academic Apparel and Announcements

Academic apparel is required for all graduation ceremonies. During the university and individual college/departmental ceremonies, only one accoutrement of your choice may be worn with the academic gown. Caps and gowns are now on sale at the on-campus and Volume II bookstores. Honors sashes for undergraduates with a grade point average of 3.40 or better are also available at the campus bookstore. Students wearing the white honors sash will be recognized and asked to stand during the university ceremony. All graduates may order personalized announcements in advance through the University Bookstore. For more information and deadlines, contact the University Bookstore at 540/231-5991, extension 147.

For graduation announcements designed for the Class of 2008, you may visit the Balfour website at www.balfour.com/ college. You may also visit the Class of 2008 website at www.classof2008.alumni.vt.edu or call the Alumni Association at 540/231-6285.

Disability Access

(Updated April 7, 2008) Accessible seating for persons with impaired mobility is available at Lane Stadium and Cassell Coliseum, as is accessible parking.  A sign language interpreter will be provided for the University and Graduate School ceremonies.  Interpreters for individual college ceremonies are arranged by request with a two-week notice through the office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD).  For additional information concerning accessibility, wheelchair seating, and disability accommodations, contact SSD at www.ssd.vt.edu or call 540/231-0858 or TTY 540/231-0853.  “Special Needs” (impaired mobility) parking passes are available (not required if you have a state-issued DMV handicap tag) for pickup by students at 250 South Main Street, Suite 300, prior to the commencement ceremony.

For the National Capital Region ceremony, accessible seating for persons with impaired mobility is available. Accessible parking is also available in front of the Center for the Arts. A sign language interpreter will be provided during the ceremony. 

Lodging and Dining on the Blacksburg Campus

Student Programs Conference and Guest Services offers an alternative to hotel lodging. In an effort to provide convenient, low-cost accommodations, Conference and Guest Services is pleased to provide residence hall space for families and guests of graduates. Many of our commencement guests find that staying in our residence halls during this weekend minimizes parking and dining difficulties and provides what is often a nostalgic experience. On-campus dining will be available at D2 on Friday from 4:00-7:00 p.m. and Saturday from 6:30-9:00 a.m. Additional details may be found on the website of Student Programs.

Advance reservations for lodging are required and full payment is due at the time the reservation is made. Online reservations and payment may be made at www.commencement.studentprograms.vt.edu.

For details and reservation information, contact Conference and Guest Services at 540/231-5721. You may also send an e-mail inquiry to commencement_lodging@vt.edu.

Programs

Undergraduates should pick up programs at the university ceremony on Friday evening. Graduate students will receive a program at the Graduate School ceremony. A small number of Commencement programs will be available at the individual college and departmental ceremonies.

Official Photographer

Chappell Graduation Images of Fairfield, Iowa, will be the official photographer for Spring 2008 Commencement ceremonies on the Virginia Tech campus. Photographers will
be present for the Graduate School ceremony, as well as all major college ceremonies. The photographers are the only persons with clear access to the stages.

On Thursday, May 8, from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., Chappell will offer free portrait sittings in the Museum Room of Torgersen Hall (Room 1100). Graduating students (undergraduate or graduate) should wear their own cap and gown. You may wear as many accountrements as you wish for the portrait sitting to include stoles, honors cords, sashes, etc. Although a professional photographer has been commissioned, you will not be required to purchase photos. Chappell will mail your proofs to you approximately one week after the ceremony.

If you have any questions about your order, please contact Chappell at 800/424-3686, by e-mail at service@chappell.com, or online at www.gradimages.com.

There will be a separate contracted photographer for the National Capital Region ceremony. Additional details are available at www.ncr.vt.edu/commencement.

Please avoid bringing wrapped packages or unnecessary items with you to Commencement ceremonies. Safety precautions may necessitate the random search of suspicious items.

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