Commencement Information for Faculty
- Graduate Commencement Ceremony – December 11, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.
- Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony – December 12, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.
The winter commencement ceremonies are December 11 for graduate students and December 12 for undergraduate students. The graduate ceremony is 7:00 p.m. in the H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center and the undergraduate ceremony is 11:00 a.m. in Heiges Field House.
- Faculty Participation: The Commencement Committee encourages faculty to participate. An email will be sent to determine the number of faculty participants in order to provide an accurate count of required seats. Please respond to the email, or Register Now, if you plan to participate in the faculty procession.
The deadline to RSVP is Wednesday, December 2.
- Cap and gown: Faculty members who wish to order academic regalia are asked to contact the University Store at ext. 1600 from on campus or 717-477-1600 from off campus. If you would like to attend, but do not wish to order regalia, there is a robe sharing program in the APSCUF office. Please contact the office to arrange a loaner.
- Diploma presentation: If you want to present a diploma cover to a family member or a student who is graduating, please email commencement@ship.edu by December 4. Please include the graduate’s name and college in the email.
- Robing: For the graduate ceremony, you can use the main entrance or the backstage entrance to the Luhrs Performing Arts Center. Faculty, the platform party, administrators, special participants, etc., will all assemble and robe in the backstage area by no later than 6:30 p.m. For the undergraduate ceremony, please use the lobby entrance to Heiges Field House. Faculty, the platform party, administrators, special participants, etc. will assemble and robe in the locker room area by no later than 10:30 a.m.
- Academic procession: The graduate academic procession will form at 6:45 p.m. and start promptly at 7:00 p.m. The undergraduate academic procession will form at 10:45 a.m. and start promptly at 11:00 a.m. The mace bearer will lead the processional followed by graduates, faculty, trustees, administrators, and then the platform party. The mace bearer will also lead the recessional followed by the platform party. administrators, trustees, and faculty.
- Inclement Weather: In case of inclement weather on the day of the undergraduate ceremony, information about commencement will be available on Hotline (717-477‑1200). Hotline will be updated as needed. Final information will be available by 7:00 a.m. on December 12. Hotline, the university’s website, and the university’s social media accounts are the official sources of information about commencement.
Should you have any questions concerning your participation in the undergraduate ceremony, please e-mail commencement@ship.edu.
Should you have any questions concerning your participation in the graduate ceremony, please contact Pam Bucher at psbuch@ship.edu.