Congratulations to all of the students who will be graduating this fall! At 2:00 p.m., Sunday, December 11th 2016, The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) will hold its Fall 2016 Commencement for all graduating students at the Von Braun Center’s (VBC) Propst Arena. In order to ensure that the day goes as smoothly as possible, here is some inside knowledge as well as hints and tricks to help graduating students.
The speaker this commencement will be Dr. Willie E. May, Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The NIST is an agency that promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology.
Appropriate graduate attire is a black academic gown and mortarboard with no personal accessories. Students must purchase their graduation robes, tassels, and caps at the UAH Campus Bookstore (open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) before December 9, 2015. Doctoral candidates should pre-order their cap and gown at least one month prior to the ceremony. Undergraduate student members of academic honors societies may wear the insignia or honor cord of that academic honor society. These insignias or honor cords should be obtained prior to graduation by the student. Flowers, personal jewelry, pins or cords from fraternities or sororities should not be worn on academic robes.
The formal commencement ceremony will begin at 2:00 p.m., but participating students should check in at 1:00 p.m. at the VBC’s East Hall. At 1:00 p.m., guests may enter the Propst Arena (no tickets are required), but no guests, family members, or spouses are permitted in the assembly or robing areas. At 1:45 p.m., the student processional will begin and the students will proceed from East Hall to the Propst Arena. At 2:00 p.m., the ceremony will officially begin. (Caveat: There is a $5 fee to park at the VBC.)
When the students arrive at East Hall they will be given a card with their name, marching order number, degree, and honor information. It is of the utmost importance that they DO NOT LOSE this card, as it is their ticket to cross the stage. Students must then find their college line (i.e. College of Business, Education, Engineering, etc.) where they line up in alphabetical order. Once they are in line they will be escorted into the arena where they will remain standing until the processional party and invocation is concluded (all men will remove their caps during the national anthem). Following invocation, the floor staff will take over and direct the procession.
Once all of the students have crossed the stage, they go to the photography area where they will have a “posed photo” before returning to their seats. After everyone has passed through the photography section all students will be encouraged to celebrate their accomplishments! ZAP Foto, the photography provider, will be sending proofs within seven days of commencement to all of those who are interested in purchasing photos, although no purchase is necessary.
According to UAH’s Commencement booklet that has been sent to all students graduating in Fall 2016, “Diplomas will be ordered have all after degrees have been awarded. Degrees are awarded once all grades have been turned into the Office of the Registrar. Please note it takes approximately 7 weeks to receive your diploma.” The diplomas will state the student’s name, graduation date, degree, major (bachelor’s and master’s only), and university honors (bachelor’s only). The dimensions of the diploma will be 8.5’’ X 11’’ for Master’s and Bachelor’s diplomas and 11” X 14” for Doctoral diplomas.
Students that wish to buy graduation announcements can order them through Balfour, or have them custom made elsewhere.
For those who are interested in buying flowers for the graduates, flowers can be purchased from Commencement Flowers [commencementflowers.com/index.php/alabamahuntsville].
For more information, please feel free to visit UAH’s Fall 2016 Commencement web page or call Charger Central at (256)-824-7777.