2pm Ceremony Instructions

Marshall University will hold the 188th Commencement Exercises on May, 10th 2025 at Marshall Health Network Arena located in Huntington, West Virginia.

No tickets are required and there is no limit for graduate’s guests.

The 2pm ceremony will recognize the following college and programs:

Commencement Arrival Instructions

• Please enter the arena through the main entrance on Third Avenue and Eighth Street and report to the area designated for each college (see attached diagram).
• The doors of the Marshall Health Network Arena will open to the public at 12:00 p.m. Please allow additional time for required security procedures in place at the Marshall Health Network Arena.
• Graduates must arrive at the designated space allocated to your college in the corridor of the arena (see diagram) no later than 1:00 p.m. It is imperative for you to arrive on time and not be late.

If you arrive after the processional begins, you will not be permitted to participate in the ceremony, unless there is extra seating available in a section designated for late arrivals.

Parking

Parking is available in the parking garage on Third Avenue across from the Marshall Health Network Arena. Parking in this garage is available on weekends at no charge. Additionally, parking is available in the Pullman Square garages for a minimal fee. All three parking garages are within reasonable walking distance of the arena.

Accommodations for Persons with Disabilities

Graduates with disabilities who need accommodations, please contact the Registrar’s Office, commencement@marshall.edu or 304-696-6410 prior to May 9th.

Guests using wheelchairs are requested to enter the arena through GATE A or GATE D where accommodations have been made. Ushers are available to identify designated seating areas for guests with disabilities. Accommodations for hearing impaired graduates and/or guests will be provided by closed captioning.

Academic Cap and Gown

All graduates participating in Commencement must wear academic regalia. Your regalia is available for purchase at the Marshall University Bookstore https://www.bkstr.com/marshallstore/shop/graduation. The bookstore will be open the day prior to the event. If you need your regalia shipped in advance, please order online, or contact the Marshall Bookstore at 304-696-3622 or 1-800-547-1262.

Military Service Recognition

Marshall University will recognize graduates with military service by issuing a special red, white and blue cord to be worn at Commencement. We pay respect and publicly recognize members of the United States armed forces and graduates of the ROTC program by awarding this symbol of service. Military recognition cords must be picked up in the Registrar’s Office by 5:00 p.m. Friday, May 9th. Cords are to be kept by graduates.

Personal Possessions

Please leave personal possessions with guests until after the ceremony. There is no secure area to leave personal possessions (purses, keys, cell phones, jackets, cameras, etc.). You will not be returning to your seat after the individual recognition portion of the ceremony. Items brought to the assembly area must remain with graduates at all times. Please wear comfortable shoes as graduates will be standing and walking on hard surfaces.

Bachelor & Associates Degrees

Bachelor and Associate Degree candidates report to the designated college assembly area for the processional and are seated in the arena by college. Honor graduates receiving Bachelor or Associate Degrees wear cords and matching tassels. Bachelor honor graduates wear green and white for Summa Cum Laude, gold for Magna Cum Laude and red for Cum Laude. Associate Degree honor graduates wear royal blue cords and tassels. Tentative December graduates are advised to verify honors eligibility with the Academic Dean’s Office. Honor cords and tassels must be picked up in the Registrar’s Office by 5:00 p.m. Friday, May 9th. Cords and tassels are to be kept by graduates.

Master’s and Educational Specialist Degrees

Recipients of Master’s and Education Specialist Degrees line up with the Graduate Studies. Master’s and Education Specialist Degree candidates wear academic hoods throughout the ceremony. At the appropriate time, the Graduate Dean will announce each Master’s Degree program and ask candidates to stand. After each degree program is announced and all candidates are standing, the Graduate Dean will present the Master’s candidates for degree conferral.

Processional

Faculty marshals will distribute name cards and assemble graduates for the processional. The processional will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. At the appropriate time, faculty marshals will lead each college into the arena.

Regalia

Women may choose to wear their academic caps throughout the entire ceremony. Men remove academic caps at the singing of the National Anthem and replace them when the college dean rises to present the class. Academic caps must be worn for conferring of degrees. For undergraduate students, the tassel should initially be on the right side. After degree conferral, the University President will invite undergraduates to move tassels from right to the left. For Master’s and Doctoral students, the tassel should be over the left eye the entire ceremony.

Presentation of Graduates for Individual Recognition

After degrees have been conferred by President Smith, faculty marshals will direct graduates to the side aisle to be presented for individual recognition. Each graduate will hand his/her name card to the reader and proceed across the platform in front of the stage. The President will shake hands with each graduate and the academic dean will present a diploma cover. A photographer will take photos of each graduate. Then, you will be able to leave the arena.

Photographs

The professional photographer (Legacy Photographics, Inc. www.legacyphoto.com) will email proof information to graduates a few days after the ceremony.
Purchase of photographs is entirely optional.

Streaming the Ceremony Online

Marshall University and the Marshall University Alumni Association would like to congratulate you on your graduation! As a way of remembering and sharing your Commencement Ceremony with family and friends, please visit www.marshall.edu/livestream. Celebrate this major milestone and preserve the memories of this very special occasion for years to come. Remember to connect with your alumni association at www.formarshallu.org/. com to receive invitations to future events as well as updates from your campus.

Diploma Covers

Diploma covers will be presented to each student as they walk across the stage for Commencement. If you are not attending Commencement, please stop by the Registrar’s Office beginning May 19th with your MUID to pick up your diploma cover. The office is located in Old Main 106B and open Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Diploma covers cannot be mailed)

Diploma Delivery

Graduates will receive an electronic diploma through their Marshall email in mid-June. Paper diplomas will be mailed to the student’s permanent address and should arrive by August 1st. Here are instructions on how to update your address online.

Questions

For questions regarding Commencement, please contact the Registrar’s Office, commencement@marshall.edu or 304-696-6410. We strive to make this ceremony special for our graduates and guests. Congratulations and Go Herd!