North Dakota State University

Please Note: this message has been sent to all doctoral candidates eligible to participate in the upcoming Commencement ceremony and their doctoral adviser(s). 

CANDIDATES: You have indicated your intention to participate to the Graduate School. If you no longer plan to participate in the commencement ceremony, please contact Rhonda Kitch at rhonda.k.kitch@ndsu.edu as soon as possible. If you have not yet purchased your academic regalia from the NDSU Bookstore, please purchase ASAP.

• Congratulation on your achievements!
• Parking is free
• Arrive no later than one hour before the ceremony
• Signs and staff will direct candidates to the candidate assembly area.
• Pick up your 'Commencement Participation/Reader Card' at the appropriate table (arranged alphabetically by last name)
• There will be a secure coat check area to check your belongings (coat, etc.)
• Look for the 'Doctoral Candidates' sign in the student assembly area. Staff will be directing students to the appropriate area.
• Doctoral candidates will assemble in degree order (e.g., Doctor of Musical Arts, Doctor of Nursing Practice, Doctor of Philosophy). Line up alphabetically by doctoral candidate's last name within degree order.
• There will be brief announcements approximately 20 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony and the processional will start shortly after
• If you have purchased your academic regalia and have your hood (because you ordered fine quality apparel or are borrowing/renting a hood), please drape it over your arm and process into the ceremony with the hood. All other doctoral candidates will receive their hood on stage
• Doctoral candidates will process in and be seated with their adviser(s). If your adviser is hooding multiple candidates they will be processing with the first candidate listed alphabetically.
• A candidate photo will be taken just prior to entry on the stage
• Once photo is taken, immediately proceed up the ramp to the stage
• Provide your reader card to the reader assistant seated at the reader table at the top of the ramp
• You will be hooded by your adviser(s) and the Dean of The Graduate School
• After you are hooded, shake hands with your adviser and the Dean of The Graduate School
• Proceed to the next station and receive your diploma cover from the Provost (and shake hands with the Provost)
• Shake hands with the President
• Proceed to the center of the stage, go down the steps and be seated back in your row
• If you would like a photo taken with your adviser, please return to the stage area immediately after the ceremony. Photographers will begin packing up within 15 minutes of the close of the ceremony.
• The ceremony is live streamed on the web, more info can be found at www.ndsu.edu/commencement/webcast

• If you will not be attending the ceremony, please contact Rhonda Kitch as soon as possible
• If you are a member of the stage party or a college marshal, we'll walk through candidate hooding details at stage party or marshal rehearsal on Friday morning
• Parking is free
• Student candidates have been instructed to arrive no later than one hour before the ceremony
• Signs and staff will direct candidates and advisers to the candidate assembly area. There will be a secure coat check area for faculty and staff.
• Assemble with your doctoral candidate — not with the faculty/staff line up
• Look for the 'Doctoral Candidates' sign in the student assembly area. Candidates will be instructed to line up in degree order and within degree order, alphabetical by candidate's last name.
• Doctoral candidates will assemble in degree order (e.g., Doctor of Musical Arts, Doctor of Nursing Practice, Doctor of Philosophy)
• There will be brief announcements approximately 20 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony and the processional will start shortly after
• Doctoral advisers will process in and be seated with their candidate (if hooding multiple candidates, process with your first candidate)
• Candidate’s photo will be taken just prior to entry on the stage
• Once photo is taken, immediately proceed up the ramp to the stage
• You will hood your candidate on stage with the Dean of The Graduate School
• You will proceed from the stage with your candidate and be seated with your candidate (unless hooding multiple candidates)
• If you are hooding multiple candidates please contact Rhonda Kitch if you need further instruction