Commencement Update
February 26, 2024
Commencement is a time to celebrate your accomplishments at American University! This email is being sent to students who are potential spring graduates based on earned credits and applications to graduate. Please read this information carefully.
Reminder: 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. Auditions are Wednesday, March 6, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Email dpa@american.edu by Friday, March 1 to sign-up.
Commencement To Do Items for March:
1. Apply to Graduate and Verify Your Diploma Name
- Students must submit an Application to Graduate on Eagle Service by March 25. Applications for graduation will not be accepted after the deadline.
- Connect with your advisor if you have any questions about your graduation application.
- 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.
- Please check your application to graduate on Eagle Service to verify the spelling, punctuation, spacing, and capitalization of your diploma name. Updates must be made no later than April 3 (updates made after March 25 should be emailed to Graduation Services).
2. Order Regalia
- Beginning on March 1, students made eligible to participate in commencement will receive a link to order regalia. Students will receive the link on a rolling basis as they are made eligible to participate in commencement.
- Your regalia order serves as your registration to participate in the ceremony and signs you up for your tickets and parking pass. (If you are borrowing regalia from a past graduate, please email commencement@american.edu.)
- Please order your regalia as soon as possible. April 1 is the deadline for best price shipping and on-campus pick-up orders. April 23 is the deadline for ship-to-home orders.
- Doctoral degree recipients may opt to purchase custom doctoral 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 serving on active duty, joining the Armed Forces, or authorized to wear military uniforms may wear formal dress uniforms in lieu of regalia. Students must email commencement@american.edu to confirm. Veterans Cords will be available for pick-up during on-campus regalia distribution.
- 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.
3. Record Your Diploma Name Pronunciation with NameCoach
- Beginning on March 6, students made eligible to participate in commencement will receive a link to submit a recording of their diploma name pronunciation. Students will receive the link on a rolling basis as they are made eligible to participate in commencement.
- NameCoach will create a professionally recorded reading of your diploma name, which will play when you cross the stage at commencement. Your voice will not be used.
- 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.
Please Note:
- 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.
- 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.
Important Dates:
- March 1: Regalia ordering site opens (register to participate in commencement)
- March 6: NameCoach opens (record name pronunciation)
- March 6: National Anthem singer auditions (sign up by March 1)
- March 21: Honors Cords, Alumni Association Medals, Veterans Cords (pick-up opportunity 2:00-7:00 p.m. in the Mary Graydon Center)
- March 25: Deadline to Apply to Graduate
- April 1: Deadline for best-price shipping and on-campus pick-up regalia orders
- April 1: Deadline to record your name with NameCoach
- April 3: Deadline to verify your diploma name
- April 12: Marching Order opens (claim electronic tickets)
- May 10-11: SPRING COMMENCEMENT (ceremony schedule)
For More Information:
Questions?