June Commencement

Fri, June 13 and Sat, June 14, 2025

Navigate to Schedule and Program to view individual ceremony dates and times.

A variety of decorated student caps from behind.

Schedule and Program

View of the ceremony stage from the center aisle with graduates seated on both sides.

Location and Seating

Faculty in ceremony regalia clap for graduates.

Safety and Security

Eligibility

Student protocols for participating in the commencement ceremony.

Ceremony Information

When to arrive and where to go for your ceremony.

Graduate Regalia

All graduates participating in commencement must wear the regalia appropriate to their degree.

Photography

Order graduate images with GradImages, your official graduation photographer.

Graduate Slides

Graduate slides featuring a photo and/or a message of thanks for those who chose to opt-in during the reservation process. This will not include all who graduated during the ceremonies.

Diplomas

Diplomas are not distributed at commencement. Please read this page for more information about timeline and delivery.

Memory Walk

Graduates are invited to leave items reflective of their time at Western in the time capsule.

Donate or Borrow a Cap & Gown

Consider donating your cap and/or gown to future graduates. Donated regalia is available to borrow.

Livestream

Features ceremony livestreams as well as the commencement program and live transcript.

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.

Ceremony Accessibility

Accessibility options for graduates and guests.

Local Lodging

Bellingham and Whatcom County offer a variety of hotels for Western Washington University guests.

Campus Dining and Retail

Information about dining and retail hours during commencement weekend.

Graduate Gifts and Flowers

Seeking a floral arrangement for your graduate? Follow this link to find options and further information.

Friday, May 30 - Lavender Graduation & Pride Celebration

This ceremony celebrates our LGBTQ+ community and our Lavender Graduates. Anyone graduating during the 2024-2025 academic year can be recognized at the ceremony. Visit the LGBTQ+ web page for more information.

Priority registration ends on May 18.

Friday, June 6 - DisCo Celebration of Graduates and Awards Ceremony

Join the Disability Access Center and Disability Outreach Center from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. in Viking Union 565 A/B/C for our second annual DisCo (Disability Community) Celebration of Graduates and Awards Ceremony! This ceremony celebrates our disability community and honors our graduates with a reading of names and a cording ceremony. We will also have keynote speeches, awards, food, resources, and more.

Please use the registration form to RSVP, request a disability affinity cord, and request to be recognized in the physical program by Friday, May 23 & please nominate keynote speakers and nominate recipients of DisCo Awards by Friday, May 2. For more information, visit the DisCo Celebration of Graduates and Awards Ceremony page.

Friday, June 13 - College of the Environment Grad Celebration

The College of the Environment will host a graduation celebration on June 13 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the Communications Lawn. Refreshments will be served, and we will hand out the traditional Red Cedar trees to each graduate. Friends and family are invited.