June Ceremony Day Information

What time do I need to be on campus?

Report to Red Square to line up for the procession into Carver. You will need to arrive 45 minutes prior to the start of your ceremony to pick up your name card. Follow the signs for your college and get your name card alphabetically by last name. Commencement staff will give instructions to line up for the procession.

(Your family and friends can go directly to Carver. The doors will open one hour prior to the ceremony.)

What do I need to bring?

• Your graduation regalia, including gown, hood (for graduate students), cap, and tassel. If you have not yet purchased your regalia, please visit the WWU Associated Students Bookstore website as soon as possible to place your order. Make sure you have your cap and gown to ensure you're able to participate in your ceremony.
• Something to add to the time capsule.
• Note that masks are strongly encouraged for large indoor gatherings, so you may wish to bring your mask (and tell your guests).
• Please consider giving your personal belongings to your guests rather than leave items behind and unattended in Red Square. While we will have staff in Red Square between ceremonies, they will be working on resetting it for the next ceremony and we cannot ensure safety and security of all items.

Procession

The procession from Red Square to Carver starts each ceremony. 

Speakers

Speakers at the ceremony include the president, the faculty senate president, the Board of Trustees, and a student speaker.

Walk Across

The walk across is the portion of the ceremony where graduates have their name read as they walk across the stage.

Process:

Graduates hand their name card (obtained at check-in) to the dean reading names at the podium, the president hands the graduate their diploma cover, the graduate can turn toward the camera for a photo, the graduate walks off the stage and is directed to a green screen at the back of the facility for another photo. A graduate is then directed back to their chair.

Ceremony Length

Ceremonies will last approximately one hour.

Recession and Memory Walk

At the end of ceremony, graduates will recess from the seats on the main floor to the Memory Walk, which is held outdoors (weather permitting) for June Commencement. You are encouraged to bring an item to place in the Memory Walk box as the processional exits. The Memory Walk has been a commencement tradition at Western Washington University since 1912. Each year, a stone representing the graduating class is laid along the Memory Walk—which is the sidewalk that runs parallel to the façade of Old Main. Beneath each of these class stones lies a time capsule. Graduates are invited to leave items reflective of their time at Western in the time capsule. That capsule will be buried beneath the stone bearing their class year.

No tickets are needed for June Commencement and it will be open seating. Doors open one hour prior to each ceremony, and guests should be seated ten minutes prior to the ceremony start time because entrances will be closed while the graduates process into Carver. Doors will reopen when the procession is complete.

This is a joyous time for all graduates to celebrate their many accomplishments with friends and family, and we will do our very best to accommodate as many guests as we can. Our ticketless experience (and the first-come, first-seated practice) is dependent on your goodwill. We ask that families refrain from saving large numbers of seats in Carver. We will need your help to ensure that all graduates and their loved ones have a good experience.

For ceremonies on Saturday and Sunday, we anticipate exceeding the capacity of Carver and will be directing some guests to overflow seating to view the livestream. Overflow seating in SMATE hall (south of the Carver facility) is available one-hour before each ceremony time with open seating. SMATE classrooms have chairs with backs and tables. Some guests may want to consider whether or not viewing will be more comfortable via the livestream from off campus.

Prohibited Items: Balloons are not allowed in the gym due to the fire sprinkler system. Thank you for complying.

Flowers and Gifts: The Western Associated Students Bookstore and a floral vendor have a variety of items available for sale in the Carver Lobby. The lobby opens one hour before each ceremony and remains open for thirty minutes after each ceremony.

Unable to attend in person? Join the livestream of the ceremony! This will be available during the commencement weekend with links available on the main commencement page as well as here.

Directions to the event and a map of parking options can be found on the Commencement Parking page.

Dining and Retail Hours