December Commencement
December Commencement
Saturday, December 10
Ceremony times: 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m.
There will be three ceremonies on Saturday, December 10, with ceremony start times at 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m. Each ceremony will last approximately one hour. Graduates who completed their degrees during our virtual commencement ceremonies (March 2020 - June 2021) are invited to join us for an in-person ceremony in December 2022. Reservations are required for all graduates. Please see details below.
To be eligible to participate in the December ceremony, a student must have graduated summer quarter 2022 or have completed the graduation application for Fall 2022 no later than November 4. Graduates who will be completing degrees from more than one college will have the opportunity to pick which college ceremony they will attend. If a graduate requires accommodation for religious observance, they should complete the reservation form and then email the graduation team at Commencement@wwu.edu.
Your college is determined by your major. If you do not know your college, please find the list of majors here. If you have more than one major, or degree, from different colleges, please find information about your options on the commencement eligibility page.
Masters and doctorate candidates from the Graduate School will be hooded in the ceremony associated with the college their degree is listed under in the Programs of Study section of the online catalog.
Reservations for May 2020—June 2021 Graduates
Western Alums interested in the experience of walking across the stage in person to mark their degree completion must complete the Commencement Reservation Form via the personalized link sent to to their external email address in early November. Western Alums must RSVP by noon on Tuesday, November 22.
If you are interested in attending the Commencement Ceremony and are unable to locate the email invitation sent to you, please contact Commencement@wwu.edu to inquire about the status of your invitation.
Ceremony One
10:00 a.m.
- College of Business and Economics
- College of Science and Engineering
Ceremony Two
1:00 p.m.
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Ceremony Three
4:00 p.m.
- Woodring College of Education
- Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies
- College of Fine and Performing Arts
- College of the Environment
- University Interdisciplinary Studies
Reservations are required to attend Commencement. Eligible students will receive an email invitation to the Commencement Reservation Form, which must be completed by Thursday, November 17.
May 2020—June 2021 Graduates: please see the announcement box above with information related to your reservation.
Diplomas are not distributed at commencement. Please read this page for more information about timeline and delivery.
Ceremony Day Information
Where to be and when on your ceremony day.
Memory Walk
Graduates are invited to leave items reflective of their time at Western in the time capsule.
Ceremony Accessibility
Accessibility accommodations for graduates and guests.
Guest Viewing Options
In-person and online viewing information.
Parking and Shuttle Service
Commencement ceremonies are held in Carver Gym, which is located in the middle of campus. Find parking and shuttle options here.
All graduates participating in commencement must wear the regalia appropriate to their degree. This graduate regalia is available to purchase from the Western Associated Students Bookstore.
Campus Dining and Retail Hours
Information about when food and gift locations will be open during commencement weekend.
Commencement Photography
Professional photographers will be taking photos throughout the ceremonies. Students can sign up to receive any photos taken of graduates which can be purchased.
Graduate Slides
Graduate Slides will be published on website in December. Make a reservation to receive a Graduate Slide.