Governors State University Commencement

CAP AND GOWN PICK UP

There WILL NOT be cap and gown pick-up on the day of the Commencement ceremony.

Online regalia ordering for cap, gown, and hood (if applicable) begins, Monday, February 27, 2017 and ends, Sunday, April 2, 2017.

To place your online order, please visit: www.oakhalli.com/govst

Students who order their regalia online by April 2, 2017 may pick them up on one of these dates:

Tuesday, May 2, 2017, 8 am - 2 pm -OR- Wednesday, May 3, 2016, 2 pm - 7:00 pm
Engbretson Hall

Note: Doctoral students may receive their regalia through their respective Colleges - COE and CHHS.

There will be NO cap and gown pick-up on site the day of Commencement, May 20.

Students must be in good financial standing with the University in order to pick-up cap and gown.

A picture ID must be presented in order to pick-up your cap and gown.

If you are not able to attend cap and gown pick-up, you may send someone to pick-up your commencement items.

That person will need:

A signed letter from you authorizing that person to pick-up your commencement items.
A copy of your photo ID;
That person will need to present a photo ID when checking in

ORDER INVITATIONS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Create Personalized Graduation Announcements

Order your invitations from one of our approved vendors:

COMMENCEMENT DAY INSTRUCTIONS

KNOW WHAT'S UP

Graduates do not need tickets to attend Commencements.
All guests must have tickets to be seated (including children 2 years and older)
A family friendly seating area will be available to guests with children
If you (or your guests) have a physical disability and are in need of special services, please contact Robin Sweeney, Disability Services, at 708.235.3968 or rsweeney@govst.edu.
Parking is very limited, carpooling is strongly encouraged.
Plan to arrive early
Late graduates will be held in the rear of the auditorium and escorted at the appropriate time
Inform guests of the college/program you are graduating from to assist with seating (i.e. College of Health and Human Services; Nursing)
Pre-arrange a meeting location to meet family and guests after the ceremony outside of the auditorium.
Please leave personal items (such as purses) with your guests or leave locked in your vehicle. Neither GSU or the convention center is responsible for lost or stolen items.
Only GSU approved honors cords and stoles may be worn with regalia.
Graduates should not leave the ceremony floor until the appropriate time. Only Platform Guests, Faculty/Staff, and Marshals will recess out. All graduates are to remain seated throughout the ceremony unless directed otherwise by the commencement marshals or master of ceremonies.
Cell phones should be turned off and remain off during the ceremony.
NO BACKPACKS, NO CONCEALED WEAPONS AND NO FIREARMS.

COMMENCEMENT ETIQUETTE

Be Respectful

The University wants to ensure that Commencement is a dignified academic ceremony enjoyed by both graduates and guests. Please refrain from yelling, shouting, or whistling until the names of all graduates have been read.

Graduates should not leave the ceremony floor until the appropriate time. Only platform guests, faculty, staff, and marshals will recess out. All graduates are to remain seated throughout the ceremony unless directed otherwise by the Commencement marshals or master of ceremonies.
Gifts, such as flowers, should be given to graduates after the ceremony.
Cell phones should be turned off and remain off during the ceremony.
NO BACKPACKS, NO CONCEALED WEAPONS AND NO FIREARMS.

FAQs

Graduation FAQs

What is the difference between graduation and commencement?
Graduation is a process where you complete an application in order to earn your degree. A $125.00 non-refundable processing fee will be placed on your account. A graduation application is required for each degree you earn at GSU.
Commencement is a formal ceremony and participation is voluntary. Participating in the ceremony does not mean your degree has been earned.
I walked across the stage, doesn't this mean I earned my degree?
No. Only December graduates from the previous year will have earned degrees by commencement.. Since spring and summer graduation applicants are eligible to participate in the ceremony, their degrees will not be posted until after ceremony has taken place.
Can I use my financial aid to cover the $125 fee?
Consult with the financial aid office.
What does the graduation fee cover?
The graduation fee covers the time and paperwork it takes to post your degree. The graduation fee also covers any items related to the commencement ceremony (i.e. student regalia, diploma covers, etc.).
When will my diploma be mailed?
Diplomas are usually mailed out six to eight weeks after final grades have been submitted.
I missed the deadline to turn in a graduation application, who do I contact?
Consult with your academic advisor.

Commencement FAQ's

When does Commencement begin?
Ceremonies begin at 10 am and 5 pm.
How will I know which ceremony I will attend?
Participants are grouped by Colleges. KNOW YOUR COLLEGE: College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business, College of Education and College of Health and Human Services.
How many tickets will I receive?
Graduates generally receive four tickets per ceremony for family and guests. Depending on the number of participants, additional tickets may be available. If this is the case, this will be determined and announced one to two weeks prior to Commencement.
Does my child need a ticket?
Children age two or older will require tickets.
How long is the ceremony?
The Commencement ceremony lasts approximately two and a half hours.
Where do I pick-up my regalia?
Eligible participants may pick-up their regalia at on Regalia Pick-Up Days, Tuesday, May 2, 2017 from 8am - 2pm or Wednesday, May 3, 2017 from 2pm - 7pm.
1. If you are a doctoral student, you will receive your cap and gown through your respective College.
2. REGALIA WILL NOT BE DISTRIBUTED ON COMMENCEMENT DAY.
How early should I arrive at commencement?
Participants should arrive an 90 minutes before the ceremony. Guests should arrive an hour before the ceremony.

16 THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU GRADUATE FROM GSU

Ready, set...DON'T GO--until you do these things. That's right, Class of '16. We have 16 things for you to do at Governors State University before you graduate. Let's go!

LEARN MORE

TICKET INFORMATION

Congratulations on your achievement! This year, for the first time, Governors State University is utilizing an electronic ticketing system for May 14 GSU Commencement Ceremony tickets.

The Commencement ticket reservation system for GSU is open!

To access the ticketing site, please visit: www.TixGSU.com.

You will need to log on to the site using your GSU username and password.

A few things to note:

Check your eligibility by creating an account. If there are any issues, contact the Registrar's Office at 708.534.4500 or email: RegOffice@govst.edu.
There are five tickets held for each graduate. Graduates do not need a ticket. These five tickets are for general seating. All guests, two years of age or older, must have a ticket.
Only the graduating student can order tickets. Parents, spouses, friends, classmates cannot order tickets for you.
You can order all five tickets at once or go in more than once to order a few at a time (up to the maximum of five), if you are not sure how many you need.

If you do not need all five of your tickets, you will have the opportunity to release your unneeded tickets back into the distribution pool. Once tickets are released, they cannot be reclaimed.

The pool of returned tickets will be made available for other graduates to claim online on Tuesday, May 3, 2016, at 9 a.m.

Graduates participating in the 10 a.m. ceremony may claim up to two additional tickets. Graduates participating in the afternoon ceremony may claim up to three additional tickets.

Tickets are available on a first-come-first-served basis. The online ticket window closes on Sunday, May 8, at midnight.

A word of caution about selling/buying/duplicating tickets - The electronic ticketing system we are using issues a unique barcode on each ticket. Once this barcode is scanned, no other copies of that ticket will be valid.

The ceremony will also be livestreamed online on Governors State University's homepage as well.

Accessibility & Disability Information

If you, or your guest, require special accommodations due to a disability, please contact the Director of Disability Services, Robin Sweeney, at 708-235-3968 or by e-mail at rsweeney@govst.edu.

GSU Graduates, let the world know you did it! #GOVSTGRAD2017, add a #Twibbon now!

#TWIBBON NOW