General Information
Baccalaureate Ceremony
The Baccalaureate Ceremony, traditionally the opening ceremony of Commencement Weekend, will be held Saturday, May 22, at 3:00 p.m., in front of Old West on the John Dickinson Campus.Those who have difficulty walking or who use a wheelchair may be dropped off at the circular drive behind Old West on West Louther Street.
If the Baccalaureate Ceremony is moved to the Kline Center due to inclement weather, seating will be limited. Graduating seniors will have the opportunity to pick up a limited number of tickets for their families during the week leading up to Commencement.
Commencement Ceremony
The Commencement Ceremony will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, May 23 in front of Old West on the John Dickinson Campus.Several thousand chairs will be available. Reserved seating will be roped off for the graduates, faculty and those who require special seating. All remaining seating is unreserved.
Those who have difficulty walking or who use a wheelchair may be dropped off at the circular drive behind Old West on West Louther Street.
A limited number of special seating tickets for those who have difficulty walking or who need wheelchair access may be obtained by contacting Ms. Dottie Warner in the Office of Conferences & Special Events (717) 245-1900 after May 3. We regret that due to limited space, we can only accommodate one companion with the individual needing special seating.
A live broadcast of the Commencement Ceremony will be shown on large projection screens in various buildings nearby on campus. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis and all sites are handicap accessible. A list of locations will be available during the weekend.
Speaker
The Commencement speaker will be Lawrence Small, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. A graduate of Brown University, Small is the former president and chief operating officer of Fannie Mae, the world's largest housing finance company. He also worked at Citicorp/Citibank, the largest U.S. banking institution, in numerous posts in the United States and abroad.
Photography
During the Commencement Ceremony, professional photographers will take photographs of graduates as each receives his or her diploma. Information will be mailed to you about the process for ordering one or more copies of this photograph.Some family members may want to take additional pictures at the moment the diploma is presented. We have a raised platform near the stage designated as a "photo area." The platform is placed so that you will be able to see the graduates come down the stone steps in alphabetical order. College personnel will be stationed adjacent to the "photo area" to help you move onto the platform shortly before your graduate receives his or her diploma. Your cooperation in moving quickly will allow other families to have the same opportunity.
The College has also hired a professional firm to videotape the Commencement Ceremony. You will be mailed information about purchasing a video later this spring.
Lunch
Following the commencement exercises there will be a college-sponsored luncheon in the Holland Union Building. All graduates and their families are welcome to attend. Each student may pick up four free tickets for this luncheon. Additional tickets may be purchased in the Office of Conferences and Special Events.
Severe Weather
A severe weather plan will be used only in the case of thunder, lightning, high winds, hail or other conditions that make it unsafe to hold the Commencement ceremonies outside. Rain alone does not constitute severe weather. If the severe weather plan is used, an announcement will be made no later than 7 a.m. on Sunday on the College's home page. If in doubt, you may call (717) 245-1900. In the event of a severe weather situation, the schedule will be altered to accommodate the change. The lunch in the dining hall will be changed to a brunch beginning at 10:30 a.m. and the ceremony will be delayed until 1 p.m. and held in the Kline Life/Sports Center.
Other Information
No animals other than seeing-eye dogs will be permitted at any events throughout the weekend.Parking spaces on or adjacent to the Dickinson campus are limited. A corporate lot near campus will be available for use during Saturday and Sunday.
Members of the Class of 2004 will present the results of their reseach projects at noon on Wednesday as part of Senior Week.
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