Commencment FAQs
May Commencement FAQs
What is the structure of the Commencement ceremony? How long does it last?
In sunny weather, the ceremony is held outside on Healy Lawn. Seniors report to assigned classrooms in White-Gravenor Hall and ICC Galleria to robe. They are put in alphabetical order by degree and given name cards. Students are brought out into Red Square to form a double file column. The University Registrar, followed by the Color Guard and the Class Marshals carrying banners for the school and degrees, lead the student procession. The faculty process behind the students.
Dean McAuliffe conducts the Commencement Ceremony, which includes a Commencement Address from the Honorary Degree Recipient. The graduates cross the stage while their names are read. Following the Alma Mater and the Benediction, the faculty and students recess to conclude the formal ceremony, which lasts about two hours.
Diplomas are distributed immediately after the Commencement ceremony on Copley Lawn where faculty of the various majors greet students and families and offer personal good wishes.
Where do I get my cap and gown?
You may purchase your cap, gown, and hood from the Bookstore during Senior Salute (Senior Parents Weekend), which is held each year in February.
Some seniors may have the gowns that they wore during their New Student Convocation. If so, they may elect to purchase only the cap and hood for graduation. Representatives from Jostens will be available to sell and distribute the academic regalia.
Note: Check your hood color. Bachelor of Arts candidates should have a white hood, and Bachelor of Science candidates should have a gold hood. If you mistakenly received the wrong color, plan to exchange your hood between May 12 and May 16. You will not be able to do this exchange on the day of Commencement.
Where can I pick up my announcements?
The Office of Planning and Institutional Research (OPIR) provides 10 free Commencement announcements to each senior who completes the Senior Survey on StudentAccess+. These announcements are not personalized. OPIR is located on the third floor of the Healy Building; use the elevator or stairs at the Riggs Library end of the building (not the Gaston Hall end of Healy). Students may also wish to purchase personalized announcements through the University Bookstore.
Is there a rehearsal for graduation?
No. Seniors receive full instructions on lineup and procession in the packets that they pick up from the College Dean's Office in early May.
Someone in my family requires special accommodation seating. What should I do?
Special accommodation seating is at the discretion of our head usher, Academic Counselor Keshia Woods. Students with family members who require special accommodation seating should visit Ms. Woods in person in 108 White Gravenor beginning April 7, and no later than May 5. Guests who are granted special accommodation seating will receive two tickets, one for the guest and one for his or her companion. Additional family members should plan to sit in the open seating area. In the event of rain, those with special accommodation seating must present both their special accommodation tickets and their rainsite tickets to the ushers in McDonough Gymnasium.
Who is the Georgetown College Commencement Speaker?
The Office of Communications announces the name of the College speaker, and the speakers of all Georgetown University ceremonies, in early May.
Where can visitors park on campus?
Please note that parking is extremely limited on campus. Additional information will be posted on this web site as it becomes available.
Do we need tickets for the Commencement Ceremony?
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No, if Commencement is held outside on Healy Lawn. Seating is open, and first-come, first-served.
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Yes, if Commencement is held in McDonough Gymnasium due to inclement weather. All seniors will be instructed to pick up packets from the Dean's Office in May, which contain full instructions for Commencement and seven (7) rain site tickets.
How will I know if Commencement is on Healy Lawn or in McDonough Gymnasium?
If rain threatens the ceremony, we post a rain call three hours in advance, and reconfigure our ceremony in McDonough Gymnasium. We divide the Senior Class in two, and run the ceremony twice. Students are given seven (7) rain site tickets for their family and guests. The indoor ceremony is similar to the outdoor ceremony. Students are given their name cards and take an assigned seat under the tent in front of McDonough Gymnasium to put themselves in proper order for the procession. Diplomas are distributed from locations in White-Gravenor Hall.
A "rain call" will be made on the morning of Commencement. This website and the University's Inclement Weather telephone message will be updated with the ceremony location. The telephone number is 202-687-SNOW (202-687-7669). You may also check the University's Commencement web site for this information.
If it rains, and graduation is in the gym, can I get more than seven rainsite tickets? If it rains, can I attend the first ceremony even though my name is in the second half of the alphabet?
No, and no. McDonough Gymnasium will be filled to capacity with seven guests for every graduate, so we cannot issue additional rainsite tickets nor allow graduates and families to choose which ceremony to attend.
Why is my degree an A.B., instead of a B.A.?
A.B. stands for Artium Baccalaureatus, the Latin translation of "Bachelor of Arts." Your diploma will be issued in Latin (don't worry, you'll receive a translation at the Commencement ceremony).
What GPA do I need to have to graduate with honors?
Degrees are conferred with honors based on the student's final cumulative grade point average. Honors are conferred as follows:
- summa cum laude: 3.900 and above
- magna cum laude: 3.700 to 3.899
- cum laude: 3.500 to 3.699
Please note: GPAs are calculated to three decimal places and are not rounded up.
Students completing their degree requirements in May will have their tentative graduation honors listed in the commencement book based on their cumulative GPA at the end of the previous Fall semester. However, honors on diplomas and transcripts, as well as the rank in class will include Spring grades.
I'm a double major. Will I receive two degrees? Two diplomas?
No. A double major earns only one degree. It is a common misunderstanding to think one is earning two degrees when the two majors straddle the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree program and the Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) degree program. The student elects which Bachelor's degree he or she wishes conferred in such an instance.
Why not two degrees? It is easier to understand if you think of the bachelor's degree as a four-year course of study, encompassing 120 credits and 38 to 40 courses. If one were to earn two degrees, one would be enrolling in an 8-year course of study, earning 240 credits and 76 to 80 courses. No one does this. Students who double major have found room within the 4-year bachelor's degree to pursue two majors. When the two majors could yield either an A.B. or a B.S. degree, the student makes clear which degree should be conferred by stating the preferred degree on the Application for the Degree form.
Are majors, minors, certificates and honors indicated on the diploma?
Your diploma will indicate your name, date of graduation, degree earned, and, if you graduate with honors, whether your degree was conferred cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude. Majors, minors, certificates and departmental honors are not marked on the diploma, but do appear on your official transcript.
What is the size of the diploma? Where can I buy a frame for it?
The Georgetown diploma measures 17" (43 cm) wide by 14" (35.5 cm) high. Diploma frames are available at the Georgetown University Bookstore.
What happens if I owe the university money? Can I still graduate?
The University's policy is that any student with an unpaid balance does not receive a diploma or transcript until the account is settled. (If you have an unpaid balance, you may participate in the ceremony, but you will not have a diploma or final transcript in your envelope at the diploma distribution tables.) There will be special billings for seniors in March and April. Please check the status of your account in early May to make certain that your account is clear. All outstanding balances (library fines, room damage charges, parking tickets, etc.) must be paid before Commencement Weekend. The Office of Student Accounts will not be open Commencement Weekend. Please be sure that your account is cleared by that date so that you will receive your diploma on the day of Commencement. Student Accounts can be reached at (202) 687-7100.
Other Events
What is Tropaia?
All seniors and their families are invited to attend this Georgetown College Awards Ceremony, our Tropaia Exercises, held on the Friday before Commencement Gaston Hall, Healy Building. A reception for faculty, seniors and families follows in Leo J. O'Donovan Hall.
Tropaia is the plural of an ancient Greek word which refers to a monument celebrating a military victory. The word in the context of our Tropaia Exercises means "trophies" or "awards". This is the main Georgetown College awards ceremony, during the deans and faculty mark the accomplishments and glories of members of the College Senior Class.
Faculty have selected outstanding seniors to receive a variety of awards of Georgetown College. Some of these medals and awards are historic, given every year to a College senior from the late 1800's to the present.
The College Senior Class selects a faculty member to receive the Edward B. Bunn, S.J. Award for Faculty Excellence, and this professor gives a brief address.
The Valedictorian of the College Senior Class gives the Cohonguroton Oration. (Cohonguroton is a variation of the name Cohongorooton, an alternate historic name for the Potomac River, meaning "river of geese or swans"). The ceremony is an hour and fifteen minutes in length, and no tickets are required. Honorees are notified by email in early May.
What is the FLL Awards Ceremony?
The Faculty of Languages and Linguistics Awards ceremony honors those students who have been awarded academic achievement certificates in an FLL major, written a senior honors thesis, or have been inducted into a language honors society. This is a non-ticketed event open to the public; all are invted to attend. Honorees are notified via email in early May. The following awards are presented at the FLL Awards Ceremony: The Martha Khoury Semaan Memorial Award, The Alliance Française Award, The Italian Cultural Society Award, the Leroy W. Grever Award, the Dean Robert Lado Medal, and the Retablo Award. Please see the Undergraduate Bulletin for more information on awards of the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics.
What is Phi Beta Kappa? Do I need to apply?
Phi Beta Kappa is the nation's oldest and largest academic honors society. Generally, the top 10% of the Georgetown College class is invited to join. Interested students need not apply; all eligible candidates are mailed invitations in mid-March. The induction ceremony is a non-ticketed event open to the public. Inductees receive instructions for the ceremony in May.
Where I can find out more about the Senior Ball?
Please visit the Senior Class Committee web site or call them at (202) 687-4093.
August and December Graduation Frequently Asked Questions
Which Commencement do I attend?
There is only one Commencement each year, in May.
August degree candidates may attend the preceding May Commencement if the student is on pace to project an August graduation. This means the student should be within 4 courses of earning the degree. When in doubt, the student should discuss the matter with the Dean's Office.
December degree candidates, that is, students who are five or more courses away from finishing the degree, should plan to attend the Commencement in the subsequent spring.
Both August and December graduates receive the standard Senior mailings from the Dean's Office throughout the spring term, leading up to the May Commencement Weekend. We send these mailings to the student's permanent address.
What does it mean to "attend" Commencement if I'm an upcoming August degree candidate?
Participation in the ceremony means wearing your cap and gown and doing what everyone else does with regard to the formal ceremony on Healy lawn. Your name is read as you cross the stage, and you are handed a scroll (a translation of the Latin diploma) as the Dean and President offer their congratulations.
The programs for the ceremony which are handed out by ushers to the guests and participants only contain the names of students who have completed all degree requirements: the previous August and December graduates, and the current May degree recipients. The names of upcoming August degree candidates are not printed until degree requirements are complete (i.e., in the next year's program). Similarly, upcoming August degree candidates dispense with diploma distribution following the ceremony, because their diplomas will be available the next year.
Can I attend Senior Week events?
Degree candidates and graduates may attend Senior Week only once. Please see the Office of Student Affairs for more information.
Do I need to do anything special to attend the May Commencement?
No. You should have filed the standard Application for the Degree with the August or December expected degree date on it. We plan each May's Commencement to include the prior August and December graduates, the May candidates, and the upcoming August candidates. You do not need to give us formal notice if you do not plan to attend.
How do I "graduate" in August or December? What does this mean?
Once the summer term concludes (for August graduates) or the fall term concludes (for December graduates), and your final grades are reported (or we receive the official transcript for a final course that has been taken away from Georgetown with prior approval of the dean's office), we mail you a Letter of Certification bearing the College seal. This Letter of Certification is mailed to you at the permanent address and acts in lieu of a diploma until the diploma is in your possession. We also instruct the Registrar to post your degree on your Georgetown University transcript with the August or December date of graduation.
How do I assure an employer or graduate school that I have graduated?
You may request that an official transcript be sent direct to the employer or graduate school. You should confirm that your degree has been posted by viewing your transcript through StudentAccess+. Please see the next question if you need certification earlier than the degree posting.
What is the timetable for processing my degree?
We review routinely the grades of the August degree candidates in late September and early October. We review the grades of December degree candidates in February. We issue certification letters and instructions to the Registrar for all candidates whose records are in order, and contact students if there is any problem. If you need certification earlier than this, please make an explicit request for certification to Dean Sue Lorenson.
When do I receive my diploma?
Your diploma is ordered in the annual diploma order which we file in late February of each year. We order the preceding August and December graduates' diplomas and the upcoming May degree candidates' diplomas at that time. Diplomas are distributed at various pick up sites immediately following the formal Commencement Ceremony in May. If you do not attend, you may pick up your diploma in the Dean's Office during regular business hours in late May through early June. We mail the diplomas to the student's permanent address as reported on the Application for the Degree in late June. We mail diplomas by registered mail. If you have special instructions about where to mail your diploma, please be in contact with the dean's office.
