Commencement Update January 29, 2024
Commencement celebrates your accomplishments during your time at American University! We are excited to share the first of a series of email updates. Emails are sent to students who are potential graduates based on earned credits and applications to graduate. Please read this information carefully.
Spring 2024 Commencement
AU's Spring 2024 Commencement ceremonies will be held in Bender Arena. Each ceremony will last approximately two to two and a half hours. All ceremonies will be live-streamed on the commencement website.
Friday, May 10, 2024 9:00 a.m.: Kogod School of Business and Professional Studies 1:30 p.m.: School of Public Affairs
Saturday, May 11, 2024 9:00 a.m.: School of International Service 1:30 p.m.: College of Arts and Sciences 6:00 p.m.: School of Communication and School of Education
Who participates in May? - Eligible degree candidates for March, May, and June 2024 are invited to participate.
- Students must submit an Application to Graduate on Eagle Service by March 25. Applications for graduation will not be accepted after the deadline. (Whether or not you plan to attend commencement, all students must complete this application in the portal. Students who fail to complete their application by the deadline will need to apply to graduate in the summer or fall.)
- If you have any questions, contact your academic advisor.
Diploma Name Verification- Students can use a chosen first, middle, and last name(s) on their diplomas.
- Please check your application to graduate on Eagle Service to verify the spelling, punctuation, spacing, and capitalization of your diploma name.
- If anything is incorrect, please correct the diploma name field so that it will appear accurately on your diploma and in the commencement program.
- Updates must be made no later than April 3 (updates made after March 25 must be emailed to Graduation Services).
Spring Regalia Ordering
- A student's regalia order serves as their registration to participate in the Spring 2024 Commencement ceremony. (If you borrow regalia from a past graduate, please email commencement@american.edu.)
- Students must be made eligible to graduate by their academic advisors prior to purchasing. Students made eligible to participate in commencement are sent a link to order regalia.
- At commencement, all graduates must be in regalia unless they are active military in uniform. Regalia includes gown, mortarboard or tam, stole, and/or cords. Anything other than regalia will not be permitted.
- Regalia may be ordered beginning March 1 for students made eligible to participate in commencement. April 1 is the deadline for best-price shipping and on-campus pickup orders. April 23 is the deadline for ship-to-home orders.
- Bachelor’s and Master’s Regalia Orders: Bachelor’s graduates purchase regalia sets that include a cap, gown, and tassel ($44 before sales tax). Master’s graduates purchase sets with a cap, gown, tassel, and hood ($77 before sales tax). Bachelor’s and master’s graduate regalia does not need to be returned.
- Doctoral Regalia (Rental): Doctoral cap and gown rental orders ($123 before sales tax) include a tam, gown, and hood. Rental regalia should be returned immediately following the ceremony.
- Doctoral Regalia (Purchase): Doctoral degree recipients may opt to purchase custom regalia (pricing starts at $900). The deadline to order custom doctoral regalia is March 25. Please contact commencement@american.edu to request the order form.
- Students in the Military: Students serving on active duty, joining the Armed Forces, or authorized to wear military uniforms may wear formal dress uniforms in lieu of rental regalia. Since tickets will not be distributed to students who do not purchase regalia, you must email commencement@american.edu to qualify for commencement ceremony tickets and a parking pass. Veterans Cords will be available for pickup during on-campus regalia distribution.
National Anthem Singer Auditions- The Office of the President and the Department of Performing Arts seek five graduating seniors or graduate students to sing the national anthem at each of the five American University commencement ceremonies on Friday, May 10, and Saturday, May 11.
- Auditions will take place on Wednesday, March 6, between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. in the Katzen Arts Center. To sign up for an audition slot, please contact the Department of Performing Arts at dpa@american.edu or come to Katzen Room 100, Monday through Friday, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. For emails, please use "Commencement Audition" in the subject line and let us know a range of preferred times. Please sign up by Friday, March 1.
- Singers should prepare the National Anthem in a comfortable key from memory (usually B-flat or A-flat, with A or G also acceptable).
NameCoach and Recognition of Graduates at Commencement- NameCoach creates a professionally recorded reading of your diploma name, which will play when you cross the stage at commencement.
- Eligible graduates will receive a unique NameCoach registration link beginning on March 6.
- The link allows each graduate to record their name to ensure it is pronounced correctly. The deadline to submit a name pronunciation is April 1.
- If a student made eligible for graduation does not submit a recorded name, NameCoach name readers will pronounce their diploma name as accurately as they can.
Honors Cords and Alumni Association Medals- March 21 in the Mary Graydon Center, 2:00-7:00 p.m.
- Undergraduates eligible for Latin Honors (3.67 cumulative GPA and 60 of 120 credits at AU) can pick up their gold honors cord.
- Veterans Cords will be available for pickup.
- Alumni Relations will distribute Alumni Association Medals to students who make a gift.
Student Speaker Selection- Each ceremony includes an address by a graduating graduate and undergraduate student speaker.
- Selection of the student speakers is coordinated within each school's dean's office starting in early February. Speakers are announced in early April.
- If you would like to be considered as a student speaker, contact your school’s commencement coordinator.
Spring Commencement 2024 Ticket Information- Tickets will be required for admittance to the Spring Commencement ceremonies.
- An allotment of six tickets will be distributed to students who have registered to participate in commencement by ordering their cap and gown.
- Graduates will not need a ticket for themselves.
- Registered students will receive a unique link to their AU email to access their electronic tickets beginning April 12.
- We are unable to guarantee requests for additional tickets.
Graduation Census Survey- This annual survey asks main campus graduate and undergraduate students about their experiences at AU and their postgraduation plans. This provides a basis for improving services and support for students and alumni.
- Please complete this survey when you receive an email invitation from the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment prior to commencement.
For More Information:Questions?
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