Commencement 2024: It's Finally Here!

Dear Denison Families,

We're thrilled that Denison's 183rd Commencement is next week, and we have an extraordinary weekend in store for you! As you, your student, and your family get ready for this memorable occasion, we share a reminder of important details.

Again, thank you for your partnership in supporting your student's success. We are looking forward to celebrating with you, your student, and your family!

Alumni & Family Engagement

Their Final Week on The Hill: Senior Send Off (May 6-10)

This final week on The Hill is very celebratory for our graduating seniors. Senior Send-Off  features an off-campus dance, the Senior Bucket List (ring the chapel bells or sit behind President Weinberg’s desk), receptions, celebrations, Senior Trivia, and activities organized by Student Life, the President's Office, and Alumni & Family Engagement. It's a very fun week!

Commencement Weekend Activities

Friday, May 10

Noon. Legacy Luncheon by invitation

Many of our seniors are not the first in their families to graduate from Denison. This special lunch will celebrate and recognize Denison alumni families and their graduating seniors.

4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Baccalaureate (Swasey Chapel)

Denison’s Baccalaureate service is a celebration that provides graduating seniors with an opportunity to reflect on their educational experience and on everyone who supported them along the way. The two services are identical and are offered as a convenience in consideration of families’ differing schedules during Commencement Weekend.

7 p.m. Senior Soirée (Reese~Shackelford Common)

We celebrate seniors' accomplishments and contributions to our community by inviting them and their families to join us at Senior Soiree, a campus tradition the evening before Commencement, filled with dancing, live music, great conversations, and food and drink.

Food truck dining, beer and wine, will all be available for purchase. Located on the Academic Quad (on the other side of the Slayter Student Union), food trucks include Burrito Bus, Zaki's, Holy Crepes, Pitabilities, Dos Hermanos, Day Y Noche, Seven Little Sliders, and Happy Dog Pizza.

As a special way to mark your student’s final night on The Hill, we’ll enjoy a brief fireworks display at 9:30 p.m.

For family donors — make sure you stop by the Annual Fund table near the beer garden to receive a free drink ticket, as a thank you for your generosity! Haven’t made your gift yet? You can make your gift today!

Saturday, May 11

9 a.m. Faculty Coffee (Lamson Lodge Lawn)

A great opportunity for families to meet their student's favorite professors. 

10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Commencement Exercises (Mitchell Center)

Denison University’s 183rd Commencement celebrates the achievements of the Class of 2024. The event will include keynote speaker, Philip A. Glotzbach, remarks by Denison President Adam Weinberg, the Class of 2024 student commencement speaker, Priyanshi Kanoria, and more.

Commencement will be recorded and available on our website. 

Commencement Logistics 

Seating & Logistics: Denison students, families, friends, faculty, and staff are welcome at Commencement. Doors will open at 8:30 a.m. At 10 a.m., graduates need to report to the Mitchell Center Rec Gym to line up.
Guest seating is general and unreserved. There are no tickets for the ceremony and no limit to the number of guests who may attend. For easy viewing purposes, signs and banners are not permitted in the Mitchell Center, and large bags are not permitted.

Parking & Shuttles: Guests are welcome to park in any campus parking lot during Commencement. A limited number of disability spaces will be held in the parking garage and at the Mitchell Center. Shuttles will run on Saturday to provide transportation between remote parking areas and the Mitchell Center. After the ceremony, shuttles will transport guests to all campus parking and campus residential areas. Signs and maps showing shuttle routes, pick-up, and drop-off points will be posted at each shuttle stop. 

Safety Personnel: At large-scale campus events like Commencement, Denison supplements our Campus Safety team with additional local law enforcement and medical personnel to enhance security, manage traffic flow, and support the well-being and experience of our campus community and guests.

Photography: Graduation Foto, the event photographer, will email grads directly at their Denison address and provide proofs and purchasing information. Please visit graduationfoto.com for more information. Additional photos will be posted on Denison's Flickr site and may be downloaded free of charge. Family members may take photos in a designated area near the stage. 

For additional questions about Commencement, please check the Commencement website and the FAQ. For any other questions, please email commencement@denison.edu.

Opportunities for Young Alumni 

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Keep up with everything going on at Denison by following us on our social platforms, and as always, thank you for partnering with Denison to support your student’s success.

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