Day of Graduation
Directions, Lodging, Parking
Driving Directions to the Ceremony
Area Lodging - Motels, hotels, bed and breakfasts in the vicinity of the university.
Parking - Graduates and their guests can park on campus or in the Bloomsburg Hospital lot where shuttle buses will be making runs to Haas and return. Guests should allow sufficient time for parking and finding seats in the auditorium. Graduates must allow time to line up with their college. Undergraduate candidates are expected to line up for the morning ceremony by, the latest, 9:30 a.m. and by 2:00 p.m. for the afternoon ceremony. Graduates and guests who are late for the ceremony will not be permitted into Mitrani Hall until after the singing of the national anthem and the moment of silent reflection.
Guests with Disabilities - There is no need to make special arrangements for guests who are handicapped or disabled. Handicapped parking is reserved throughout campus. Disabled guests without a handicapped parking tag will be allowed to park close to the auditorium. If parking or access assistance is needed, speak with university police officers who will be present throughout the day. Seating is available in Haas for persons in wheelchairs, with one additional guest. Please arrive early to secure seating in these areas. Guests who have trouble walking or climbing steps may be dropped off at the main entrance of Haas for assistance. If an interpreter for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing is required for the ceremony, please contact Anita Hakim, ahakim@bloomu.edu to make arrangements at least one month prior to commencement.
Time Schedule
10:00 a.m. Winter Ceremony
Colleges of Liberal Arts and Science and Technology
| 8:45 | Auditorium doors open for general seating |
| 9:00 | Graduates begin to line up. Location announced later in the semester |
| 9:30 | ALL seats available for guests (any seats being saved at this time must be relinquished) |
| 10:00 | Procession begins into Mitrani Hall |
| 10:15 | Late seating |
| 11:30 | Approximate time ceremony ends |
2:30 p.m. Winter Ceremony
Colleges of Business and Professional Studies
| 1:15 | Auditorium doors open for general seating |
| 1:30 | Graduates begin to line-up |
| 2:00 | ALL seats available for guests (any seats being saved at this time must be relinquished) |
| 2:30 | Procession begins into Mitrani Hall |
| 2:45 | Late seating |
| 4:00 | Approximate time ceremony ends |
Faculty Instructions
Academic regalia are not provided by the university but can be rented at the University Store. (download rental form - 20k pdf). Regalia can also be purchased through the University Store.
Faculty may park on campus or in the Bloomsburg Hospital lot where shuttle buses will be making runs to Haas and return after the ceremony. Enter Haas through the main lobby doors or the second floor art gallery entrance by the Bakeless parking lot. Robe in the Haas Center second floor art gallery and be ready to process no later than 9:45 a.m. for the morning ceremony and/or 2:15 p.m. for the afternoon ceremony. Faculty will line up in a double line in random order. If there is someone you would like to sit next to during the ceremony, that person should be behind you in line, not next to you, since the double lines split upon entrance into the lobby and auditorium.
Faculty will be led by a university marshal from the art gallery and to the stage. Once on stage, please remain standing during the singing of the national anthem and the moment of silent reflection (men should remove their caps prior to the singing of the national anthem). Attendees will be requested to take their seats at the appropriate time.
The ceremony will then progress and is expected to last approximately an hour and a half.
Ceremony Instructions
Although there is not a commencement dress code policy, it is suggested that men wear shirts with ties and dress pants and women wear dress clothes. Suits can be worn, but it is sometimes very warm in Mitrani Hall. Each participant must be attired in a black academic robe and matching cap with tassel (except those who chose to wear their military uniform). The robe should be pressed. You may either wear your pre-purchased robe and cap with tassel, or robe upon arrival. It is inappropriate to attach flowers, signs, or messages on the gown or cap. The cap should be worn flat on the top of the head with the tassel on the right side of the cap at the start of the program. Students who have received an honor cord/s should drape the cord around the neck and down the front of the gown. There will be no caps, gowns, or tassels available for purchase in the auditorium. The University Store is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on December 13.
Be sure to bring the color-coded name card. If forgotten or misplaced, a card can be made at the box office in the lobby of Haas Auditorium. Meeting place for graduates to line up will be announced later in the semester, since Haas is now undergoing renovation.
Morning: College of Liberal Arts - To be announced
College of Science and Technology - To be announced
Afternoon: College of Business - To be announced
College of Professional Studies - To be announced
Graduates will line in random order in two columns. If you would like to sit next to a friend, that person should be in front of or behind you in line, not next to you, since the lines split upon entrance to the auditorium.
About 20 minutes before the start of the ceremony, a university marshal will lead your group in order to enter Haas through the main lobby. Graduates will be led in the procession by the top honor graduate for the college followed by two faculty marshals.
When entering the lobby graduates will be given a commencement program. The double lines will split and enter the auditorium through the two center doors and continue down to the front of the auditorium to the reserved section for each college. Students will be shown where to sit by ushers who will "count" graduates into the rows for faster seating. Please remain standing for the singing of the national anthem and the moment of silent reflection (men should remove their caps prior to the singing of the national anthem). Then the audience will be requested to be seated.
As the ceremony progresses, and after the president has awarded the degrees for each college, graduates will be instructed to change their tassel from right to left. A university marshal will then lead the graduates by college to the staging area and direct them when to walk across the stage, hand their name card to the faculty reader, shake hands with the dean of the college and the president and receive their diploma cover from the president of the Board of Trustees.
Exit through the opposite side of the stage and follow the posted arrows back into the auditorium and be seated. Photographers from Chappell Graduation Images will take a photo of graduates as they shake hands with a trustee and also a posed photograph after leaving the stage.
All participants are expected to remain until the end of the ceremony. In addition, graduates are to stay in place until the platform party and faculty leave the stage at the ceremony's conclusion. Photographs may be taken in front of the stage after the ceremony.