Commencement & Ceremony Info
About Commencement
Wright State University holds two commencement ceremonies each year. The first ceremony is Fall Commencement, which is always held the second Saturday in December. August and December graduates may participate in this ceremony. Spring Commencement is always held on the second Saturday in June. March and June graduates may participate in this ceremony.
When & Where
- All ceremonies are held at the Wright State University Nutter Center.
- The doors open at 8:30 a.m.
- Commencement Ceremony begins at 10 a.m.
- See parking and hotel information for directions and lodging options.
Length
The December ceremony lasts approximately 90 minutes. The June ceremony lasts approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Etiquette
The commencement ceremony is a special event for all involved. It commemorates the completion of an educational goal by the graduate and allows family and friends to participate in a celebration of that completion. Please show respect for everyone who has come to share in the experience.
- During the reading of graduate names, we ask graduates and their guests to be considerate in their applause so that all names are heard clearly and the ceremony is not disrupted
- Please return to your seat after you have been recognized and remain for the entire ceremony
- To ensure that all guests may hear and enjoy the ceremony, please check that all cellular devices are on silent mode or turned off during the entire ceremony, including the processional and recessional
Seating Arrangements
Seating arrangements for the ceremonies are developed based upon the population of the ceremony participants, including the graduating students, faculty, and staff. Please click here (PDF) for the current seating arrangment plan. Please note that the diagram is not to scale.
Graduating with Honors
Latin Honors
Undergraduate students with outstanding academic records are recognized at commencement. Latin Honors are based on the achievement of high grades. Three distinctions are noted:
For Students First Enrolled PRIOR to Fall 2006:
- Summa Cum Laude indicates a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.8
- Magna Cum Laude indicates a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.6
- Cum Laude indicates a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.4
For Students First Enrolled DURING or POST Fall 2006:
- Summa Cum Laude indicates a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.9
- Magna Cum Laude indicates a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.7
- Cum Laude indicates a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5
Undergraduate students who have earned these distinctions wear white cords in recognition of their achievements and have their level of distinction noted by their name in the printed program. The above information applies to undergraduate students only. Graduate students are required to maintain a certain grade point average, and Latin Honors do not apply for them.
Latin honor cords for the 2012 Spring (June) Commencement will be available beginning on May 21, 2012, in the Student Union Administrative Office (186 Student Union).
Honors Program
Students who have successfully completed one of the curricular tracks in the University Honors Program will receive an Honors medallion. Please contact the Honors Program for more information on the medallion.
Requirements to Attain Latin Honors
Latin Honors are based on meeting the minimum honors grade point average requirements for work attempted at Wright State University and for all college work attempted as of the end of the term in which the student graduates (that is, by the day on which term grades are due). In calculating cumulative grade point averages for honors, only the first grade earned for a course will be counted. To be eligible for academic honors at graduation, students must have earned at least 45 credit hours at Wright State University. Please keep in mind that transfer credits from other colleges and universities are also used to calculate the grade point average in determining Latin Honors.
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the printed program with respect to degrees awarded and honors conferred. The honors indicated in the program are based upon the student’s grade point average at the end of the quarter preceding the quarter of graduation. The appearance of a name in the list of degree candidates is not to be regarded as conclusive since some final grades are not submitted until after commencement. The student’s permanent academic record (transcript) is the official record.
Academic Attire
Candidates for graduation are required to wear the appropriate academic attire (cap, gown, and hood, if applicable) to participate in the ceremony. The academic robe is different for each of the awards presented—undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate. The hoods or tassels represent the college, school, or major field in which the student is receiving the degree. Following are the color designations for each college, school or discipline:
- Graduate School, graduate level – Black
- Post-Graduate School, postgraduate level – Gold
- Boonshoft School of Medicine – Green
- School of Professional Psychology – Royal Blue
- *College of Engineering and Computer Science – Orange or Yellow
- *College of Science and Mathematics – Yellow
- Raj Soin College of Business – Drab
- College of Liberal Arts – White
- College of Education and Human Services – Light Blue
- College of Nursing and Health – Apricot
*NOTE: The proper color for all "Sciences" is Golden Yellow, with the exception for engineering students, for whom the proper color is Orange.
You should wear the color (and gown) of the highest level degree you are receiving. If they are of equal ranking (i.e. two bachelor's degrees), wear the color of the group with whom you are seated. You may not wear more than one tassel.
Conferral of Degrees
Since our commencement ceremonies immediately follow final exams, we are not able to certify the completion of graduation requirements prior to commencement. Therefore, Wright State University does not distribute diplomas at its ceremonies.
Diplomas
Students who are graduating during Fall Semester will receive their diploma cover during the commencement ceremony. Spring graduates will receive their diploma cover in the mail. Please note it may take 4–6 weeks to receive your transcript and cover.
Caps & Gowns, Announcements, Invitations, Etc.
The WSU Bookstore holds a Graduation Fair prior to the December and June Commencement ceremonies where patrons may purchase a range of supplies for their graduation needs, including invitation cards, banners, gifts, etc.
The Graduation Fair for the 2012 Spring Commencement will be April 30 and May 1, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
If you were unable to attend the fair, graduation announcements and class rings may be ordered online at balfour.com.
Keepsake caps and gowns will be available in the bookstore through June 8. The gowns are black for graduate students and green for undergraduate. To ensure availability and correct fit, you are encouraged to purchase yours early. Please note: if you do not purchase your cap and gown from the WSU Bookstore, please be sure you obtain the correct color for your gown, tassel, and/or hood. If you are participating in the main campus ceremony and live near Lake Campus, please call the WSU Bookstore on the main campus to place your order.
Please contact the bookstore directly with questions (937) 775-5600 or go to wright.bncollege.com.
Photos
Wright State University works with GradTrak by Graduate Images, a leading commencement photographer. Prior to the start of the ceremony, GradTrak will be available for pre-commencement photographs in the line-up areas (on the upper-level concourse and in the McLin Gymnasium). During the ceremony GradTrak will take two additional photographs.
Our official photographer, GradTrak, has a special offer for you. If you register your email address with them prior to the graduation ceremony, you will receive a $5 discount on any photo order over $25.
Following the commencement ceremony, the photographer will mail no-obligation proofs within a week of the ceremony. Please remember: family and friends will not have access to the arena floor during the ceremony.
For additional information, please contact GradTrak at 1-800-424-3686.
Tickets
Graduating students please note: As noted on the Commencement website, in order to attend the commencement ceremony, you MUST REGISTER to that let us know you will be participating by MAY 25, 2012!
Tickets for Wright State's spring commencement on June 9 are expected to be limited due to an increase in students seeking to graduate before the university's upcoming switch from quarters to semesters. Because of this, it will be important for candidates to formally apply for graduation and register to receive tickets to the ceremony.
In order to accommodate a crowd that could be substantially larger than usual, Wright State hopes to provide six tickets per family—one for the graduate and five for the student to share with family and friends. Please note: the graduate will have a different colored ticket from the "family and friends" ticket. The tickets will be in different colors.
As has always been the case in the past, if we have extra tickets we will make them available through communications on the commencement website. As we get closer to the commencement ceremony, we may receive some tickets back. If this is the case, we will establish a process to ensure that only the students receive the tickets.
Please visit www.wright.edu/commencement for the latest information about spring commencement.
International Students
Obtaining a Letter of Invitation
International students who wish to invite members of their family to the graduation ceremony may request a "letter of invitation." Usually, this letter is used by the family to secure Visas for entry into the United States.
If you are an international student on a Visa, you should go to the University Center for International Education office to secure a letter of invitation for your family members. If you are not on a Visa, you should go to the Student Union Administrative Office for a letter of invitation. In both cases, please be prepared to provide the full names of those to be invited, the familial relationship, and an address. It is the responsibility of the recipient of the letter to process the invitation appropriately with the proper government officials.
Broadcast/DVD Info
There are several options for watching our commencement ceremonies without physically being there, including several "online" options and a DVD purchase option.
LIVE VIEW
Wright State will provide a live stream of the ceremony as it occurs. To watch the live stream, see the links below.
For Windows: click here.
For Mac: click here.
View a complete list of live stream viewing options »
ON DEMAND VIEW
In addition to live streaming, Wright State will also keep the broadcast saved on its website for up to one year after the ceremony. These videos are kept among other saved videos in the On Demand Videos Player. Select the link and then browse to the desired video.
CHANNEL 21
For the city of Fairborn, the live broadcast of our ceremonies is also streamed to the local cable networks and is available to watch on channel 21.
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Last updated: Tue. May-08-12, 09:26
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