Graduation
Commencement is a long-standing tradition that celebrates the achievements of our graduates. It is the culmination of our students’ hard work over the course of the last four years (and sometimes even longer), and in the case of our graduate students, intensive study over a shorter period of time.
Friday, May 10, 2024
Undergraduate Rehearsal
1:30 p.m. – Graduates and Sponsors Arrive (West VIP entrance)
2 p.m. – Rehearsal Begins
Graduate Rehearsal
3 p.m. – Graduates and Sponsors Arrive (West VIP entrance)
3:30 p.m. – Rehearsal Begins
Venue
Crown Expo Center
1960 Coliseum Drive
Fayetteville, NC 28306
Saturday, May 11, 2024
Undergraduate Commencement
3:30 p.m. – Doors Open for Graduates (Mid-Point Entrance), Sponsors (Mid-Point Entrance), and Ticketed Guests (North Entrance)
4:30 p.m. – Ceremony Begins
Graduate Commencement
7 p.m. – Doors Open for Graduates (Mid-Point Entrance), Sponsors (Mid-Point Entrance), and Ticketed Guests (East Entrance)
8 p.m. – Ceremony Begins
Venue
Crown Coliseum
1960 Coliseum Drive
Fayetteville, NC 28306
Tickets
Each graduate will be issued 10 guest tickets. Graduates and Sponsors will enter the Coliseum with their own tickets (that are IN ADDITION to the 10 guest tickets). Undergraduates will have the opportunity to obtain additional tickets at rehearsal and GradFest, and Graduate students will have the opportunity to obtain additional tickets at rehearsal.
Livestream
The ceremonies will be livestreamed on the homepage of the Methodist University web site. The broadcast will begin approximately 10 minutes prior to the event start.
Caps & Gowns
Jostens has opened ordering for caps and gowns. Please click this link to order by April 4, 2024.
You may choose between having your regalia shipped to campus (pick up at Bookstore) or to your home. If you are on campus this semester, ship to campus is likely the easiest choice.
Cap, gown, tassel, and hood are included in your graduation fee. You will have to check out, but your total should be zero. Doctoral students should select “Student Rental Doctor” rather than the shipping options.
Graduation Hooding Ceremony
The hooding ceremony takes place as you cross the stage to receive your diploma. Your sponsor, who holds the hood during the ceremony, will place the hood over your head just before President Wearden hands you your diploma cover.
Many of our graduates choose a sponsor who has made a positive impact on their time at the University. This includes a parent, child, and even a staff or faculty member. Your sponsor and their relationship to you will be announced as you walk across the stage.
The academic hood is a visual representation of your level of academic achievement and the scholastic degree being conferred. The hood is designed to be worn with the velvet side up and the small, tapered end in the front. The small, tapered end has a cord you may attach to a shirt button to prevent the hood from riding against your neck. The velvet trim represents the learning discipline (major), the chevron represents the college conferring the degree, the lining represents the University, and the black shell is the traditional color determined by the Intercollegiate Bureau.
Hooding Instructional Video
Graduation Cap Decoration
Please take into consideration the following guidelines when decorating your graduation caps (gowns may not be decorated):
- Only the flat, top area of the mortar board may be decorated. There may be nothing hanging down from any of the sides of the cap.
- Decorations must be flat on the surface of the cap. 3-D creations are prohibited.
- No advertisements. No symbols, abbreviations, initials, words, slogans, patches, or pictures that refer to drugs or controlled substances, tobacco, alcohol, or weapons or be of a sexual nature, denote an affiliation with gangs or which advocate violence or hate.
Methodist University reserves the right to confiscate any cap that is not in compliance with the university handbooks, policies, and procedures.
Failure to follow these rules will result in being asked to wear a plain cap provided by the Office of Academic Affairs. Students will not be allowed to participate in the ceremony without caps and gowns.
Baccalaureate: A Moment of Gratitude and Blessing
We are pleased to announce that this year’s Baccalaureate will be seamlessly integrated into Saturday’s undergraduate Commencement, creating a moment for spiritual reflection by all. A blessing of the academic hoods will be followed by a poignant moment when you (as a graduate) will present the hood to your sponsor recognizing his or her support and guidance throughout your academic journey. The Baccalaureate moment anticipates Commencement, gives honor to God, and celebrates lives dedicated to learning and wisdom.
Flag Presentation
If you are an undergraduate student and the first Methodist University graduate from your country and are interested in being recognized for such during the graduation ceremony, please notify the Office of the Provost by emailing pelllis@methodist.edu prior to April 4, 2024.
Important Information
- Graduates must wear cap and gown to cross the stage. Graduates and sponsors may not wear jeans, tennis shoes, or hats (other than graduation cap).
- Marshals in green robes will be available to help you. If you need assistance, please find someone in a green robe!
- All graduates, sponsors, and guests will stand as the Platform Party processes to the stage and remain standing for the National Anthem and Invocation.
Grads Give Back
In 2014, a group of seniors wanted to leave a lasting legacy at MU. They collected donations from more than 150 graduates and named the new campaign Grads Give Back. Did you know your tuition only covers 75% of the cost for you to attend MU? Donations from alumni and friends of the University filled the gap to make your education possible.
Now it’s your turn! By supporting the Grads Give Back campaign, your gift is your first chance to pay it forward for students at MU. Make a gift and receive your Class of 2024 t-shirt. You can donate online by visiting donate.methodist.edu/grads or make your donation at one of our Grad Week events or at the Alumni Office in the Mallett-Rogers House behind the Duggins Soccer Stadium.
Event Parking
Venue Policies
Methodist University is partnering with Crown Coliseum for commencement. This event venue has its own rules that guests are required to abide by. Please take a look at the Crown Coliseum Policies before arriving, in particular pay attention to the Clear Bag Policy.
Library Clearance
All library materials must be returned by May 3, 2024. There is no grace period. All items checked out by seniors are due by this date. Any items not returned by this due date will be billed to the student’s account, including a restocking fee ($5) and billing fee ($5). If the items are returned after the bill is sent, we will credit the student’s account for the cost of the items and the restocking fee. The billing fee, however, is non-refundable.
Student Financial Services Clearance
Your Student Financial Account must be settled by April 20, 2024. To have your diploma, official transcript, or other official University documents released, you must have a zero balance on your student financial account. Check the myMU Portal and make any necessary payment. Monique 910.630.7018 or Diana 910.630.7619 are here to help you with questions.
Parking Fines
The Public Safety Office issues tickets for parking violations. Should students receive a parking violation, they are encouraged to pay the fine or appeal the ticket by going to the Student Affairs Office in the Berns Student Center Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to pick up an appeal form within three days of receiving the ticket. Any unpaid parking fines will be billed to the student’s account.
Questions
For questions about the Undergraduate Commencement, please contact pellis@methodist.edu.
For questions about the Graduate Commencement, please contact GradCommencement@methodist.edu.