Requirements for Commencement -- Cap, Gown, and Honor Cord -- Ceremony and Tickets
Commencement Rehearsal -- Special Needs -- Commencement Photos -- Questions

Commencement Information
Michigan Technological University
December 12, 2009

Requirements for Commencement

Attention Prospective Fall 2009 or Spring 2010 Graduates:

Congratulations on your upcoming graduation! Commencement is rapidly approaching. You qualify for participation in the ceremony and will be listed in the program provided:

  • You submit a "Commencement Application (Walk) Form" requesting to participate in commencement. The form is due in the Graduate School by 4 pm Friday, October 16. The Commencement Application is available here.
  • Order your academic garb no later than October 23, 2009. Academic garb is required to participate in commencement. Any order received after October 23 will be assessed a shipping fee of $10, and orders after November 8, $25. After November 22, cap and gown rental cannot be guaranteed. To coordinate your rental, contact Beckie Belanger at the Campus Bookstore at 487-2410 or bmbelang@mtu.edu. You may also order garb online here.
  • Please contact Nancy Byers Sprague (nspr@mtu.edu, 487-2755) in the Graduate School if your plans have changed and you are not completing your degree requirements this or next semester.

Attention Students who Graduated before Fall 2009:

Please contact Nancy Byers Sprague (nspr@mtu.edu, 487-2755) in the Graduate School if you planned to attend Fall commencement and if:

  • You have not recently confirmed your attendance (even if you have indicated planned attendance on your "Life After Michigan Tech" form).
  • You would like to defer attendance to a future commencement ceremony.
  • If you are a PhD candidate, please contact your advisor and have your advisor confirm his/her attendance as well with Nancy Byers Sprague (nspr@mtu.edu, 487-2755).
  • Order your academic garb no later than October 23, 2009. Academic garb is required to participate in commencement. Any order received after October 23 will be assessed a shipping fee of $10, and orders after November 8, $25. After November 22, cap and gown rental cannot be guaranteed. To coordinate your rental, contact Beckie Belanger at the Campus Bookstore at 487-2410 or bmbelang@mtu.edu. You may also order garb online here.

Other questions? Please contact Nancy Byers Sprague in the Graduate School, Room 407B of the Administration Building, 906-487-2755, or email nspr@mtu.edu.

Cap, Gown, and Honor Cord

Caps, Gowns, Tassels and Hoods must be ordered through the Campus Bookstore. Orders may be placed online here, by phone (906-487-2410), fax (906-487-2279), or email (capandgown@mtu.edu). (Orders placed after October 23 will incur shipping fees.) Gown orders require height (in feet and inches) and weight (in pounds) information.

Ceremony and Tickets

Commencement Tickets may be obtained by presenting photo ID at Tech Express (in the MUB, Campus Bookstore) between the hours of 8:30 am. and 4:30 pm. beginning Monday, November 30, through Thursday, December 10. You may receive up to five (5) tickets at that time. Students who are not participating in the commencement ceremony may pick up their tickets and distribute them as they please. There is open seating for the audience.

On Friday, December 11, any extra or unclaimed tickets will be distributed from the SDC Central Ticket Office on a first-come, first-served basis.

Out-of-Town Degree Candidates arriving in Houghton on Friday, December 11, or Saturday, December 12, should contact the Central Ticket Office at 906-487-2073 between November 30 and December 10 to advise of their late arrival and make special arrangements to claim their tickets. On Friday, December 11, all unclaimed tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Commencement Ceremony will be held on Saturday, December 12, at 10:30 a.m. in the SDC Wood Gym. Graduates should arrive no later than 9:45 a.m. Family members should be seated in the audience and not with the graduates. The ceremony lasts approximately two hours. The SDC Wood Gym is an alcohol-free facility.

Commencement Rehearsal

Commencement Rehearsal will be held on Friday, December 11, at 1:30 p.m. in the SDC Wood Gym. Rehearsal lasts approximately one hour. You do not need to wear your cap and gown. Seating will be determined at rehearsal.

Special Needs

Special Needs seating is available for guests. Should special seating accommodations be required, please contact Vicky Roy in the Registrar's Office 906-487-2319 or vlroy@mtu.edu by Friday, December 4. Space for wheelchairs will be provided in this section; however, Michigan Tech is unable to provide wheelchairs.

A Signer will be present throughout the ceremony to assist the hearing impaired.

Commencement Photos

Commencement Photo arrangements have been made with a professional photographer to take a photo of each degree candidate as he/she is congratulated on stage. Proofs and ordering information will be mailed to your home address within 4-6 weeks. Please make certain that your current home address is on file with the Graduate School.

Questions?

Other Questions? Please contact Nancy Byers Sprague in the Graduate School Office, Room 407 of the Administration Building, 906-487-2755 or e-mail nspr@mtu.edu.

Congratulations!