Commencement

Guest Instructions

• Maverick Center Map

Guests should arrive about 45 minutes before the ceremony at the designated Entrances shown on the Maverick Center map. At this time, guest tickets are not required to attend the ceremony, however Brownson Arena has limited seating. There will be streaming rooms available on site.

Seating is on either side of Brownson Arena. Guests are not allowed in any of the reserved areas. ADA seating is limited to the guest needing ADA accommodation plus one companion and is available on a first come, first serve basis.

Guests should remain in their seats once the ceremony has started. Photographs may be taken from your seat. Professional photographers will be taking pictures of your graduate before the processional and as they shake hands with the President. 

End of the ceremony

Remain at your seat until the commencement speaker has closed the ceremony. There is no recessional. Feel free to congratulate your graduates. Guests and graduates should determine a meeting place outside the Maverick Center prior to commencement day for meeting up with family and friends. For those attending the first ceremony, please make post-ceremony arrangements to leave the parking lot promptly to avoid traffic congestion with those arriving for the second ceremony.

Floral gifts

Guests can now pre-order flower bouquets or leis for their graduate! Guests can pick up pre-ordered flowers or purchase flowers on the day at the kiosk at Brownson Arena as you arrive to celebrate your graduate. 

Order Flowers

Graduate Instructions

• General Instructions for Graduating Students
• Processional Map for Graduating Students and Faculty

Graduates should arrive at the Maverick Center 45 minutes before the ceremony with their cap, gown, name card, and honor cords (if applicable). Your tassel should hang on the right side of the mortarboard. 

Proceed to the Hamilton Rec Center Gym and follow the signs to your processional group staging area. CMU staff will start lining up the graduates into two lines about 30 minutes prior to the ceremony. When the ceremony starts, you will be guided into Brownson Arena. Use the instructions and processional map for further details on processional line up, seating in Brownson arena, and crossing the stage.

Once the first ceremony is over, please exit the arena to allow for the next ceremony. It is recommended that guests and graduates determine a meeting place at a different location prior to commencement day.

Crossing the stage

When it is time to cross the stage, the commencement marshals will instruct your row to proceed to the stage. Stay in your same seating order as you wait to go to the stage. Bring your name card only and leave all other belongings at your seat.

As you arrive on stage, hand your name card to the announcer. You may whisper your name to the announcer to ensure it is pronounced correctly, if you wish. Proceed to the President, reach out and hold the diploma cover up with your left hand and shake the President's hand with your right hand as able, look at the camera and smile for the professional photographer.

After exiting the stage, proceed back to your seat.

Students graduating with their Master or Doctorate Degree will be hooded during the graduation ceremony. Please do not wear your hood into the ceremony - carry it in your hands or over your arm. Once your name is announced please cross the stage to your Program Representative and hand your hood to them. Program representatives will hood students before receiving their diploma cover from the President. A third photo will be taken of Master's and Doctorate students after exiting the stage with their hoods on. 

Turning of the Tassel

The 4.0 baccalaureate students and the departmental honors students will be directed by the speaker to come forward, stand in front of the stage facing their fellow graduates, and lead the turning of the tassels from right side of the mortarboard to left. 

End of the ceremony

Remain at your seat until the commencement speaker has closed the ceremony. There is no recessional. Feel free to congratulate your fellow graduates. At that time, if you have family and friends who want to meet you, we recommend you have a pre-arranged meeting place away from the venue. For those attending the first ceremony, please make post-ceremony arrangements to leave the parking lot promptly to avoid traffic congestion with those arriving for the second ceremony.

• Parking and Traffic Flow Map

Parking near the Maverick Center is limited. Accessible parking for people with disabilities is also limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please refer to the commencement parking map for lot locations and traffic flow. Parking will be available in all Colorado Mesa University parking lots free of charge. Although parking is available on surrounding streets and businesses, please utilize the free parking on campus as a note of appreciation for you and as a courtesy to our neighbors. Local businesses will be open on commencement day and parking in their lots is reserved for normal business traffic.

Guests and graduates of the first ceremony should exit the stadium and parking lots promptly after the ceremony to avoid congestion of those arriving for the second ceremony.

Name cards are used to announce the graduates name as they cross the stage during the ceremony. The Registrar's Office will print your name card with the name provided on the Intent to Graduate form under Diploma Name.

Name cards will list the ceremony time and processional group that the graduating student will be in. It will also have a bar code to be used by the professional photographers so photos can be made available quickly to each graduate. 

Name Card Pick-up

Date and time:

• Wednesday, Dec 3  8:30 am - 4:30 pm
• Thursday, Dec 4   8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Location: UC at a table near the Maverick Store interior entrance next to the first floor stage

If you are unable to pick up your name card on the above day(s) you may stop by the Registrar's Office afterwards from 8 am - 5 pm. You also have the option to pick it up on the day of the ceremony at a table located in the staging area as you arrive to assemble with your processional group.

Honors cords will be given automatically to eligible students by the Registrar's Office when they pick up their name cards. To be eligible, you must meet the following criteria:

• Earning a bachelor's degree, associate degree, professional certificate, or technical certificate
• For baccalaureate and associate degrees: have a cumulative Colorado Mesa University GPA of 3.50 or higher as of the end of the previous term 
• For professional and technical certificates: have a Colorado Mesa University GPA of 3.50 or higher for coursework within the professional and technical certificate being earned as of the end of the previous term

Caps, Gowns, Hoods, Stoles and Tassels

• Visit Herff Jones to order your cap and gown, hood or miscellaneous regalia items for home delivery or in-store pickup.
• The Maverick Store has a wide selection of custom stoles to celebrate your exceptional achievement! Examples include stoles celebrating specific departments and clubs, First Generation, Pride, Women, CMU, and many more!
• Commemorative tassels, alumni mugs and other alumni related gifts are also available in-store or through the Maverick Store website.
• The week prior to commencement, a limited number of caps, gowns, hoods and stoles will available for purchase in-store at The Maverick Store.
• The Maverick Store will also have items available for purchase the day of commencement one hour prior to each ceremony just inside the front main entrance of the Maverick Center at the Game Day Store location.

Diploma Frames

• The Maverick Store stocks a variety of unique diploma frames available in store or at The Maverick Store website. To customize your diploma frame, visit Church Hill Classics or University Frames website.

Questions? Please call The Maverick Store at 970.248.1422 or email [email protected]

A professional photography team from MJ Thomas Photography will be at the ceremony. They will be taking two photos of each graduate, one holding the diploma cover and the other shaking hands with the President. Click the link or scan QR code to "Sign Up To View Your Graduation Photos". You will receive a link to view and purchase photos 3-5 days after graduation. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact MJ Thomas Photography directly at [email protected]. Guests may take photos from their seats. 

Students are eligible to participate in a commencement ceremony based on which semester they complete their graduation requirements in the academic year.

• Summer Term* - December Commencement
• Fall Term - December or May Commencement
• Spring Term - May Commencement 

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they are enrolled in the necessary courses or have a plan on file with the Registrar’s Office using the “Graduation Planning Sheet” or DegreeWorks Plan which outlines how all requirements will be met. In the four months prior to the ceremony, students must be on track to complete all requirements to remain eligible to participate in the commencement ceremony.

*Summer graduates may participate in the preceding May ceremony only if they are registered by April 15 for one or more summer courses that do not exceed six credits or an internship course that does not exceed 12 credits. The student must be able to finish the summer coursework by the end of the summer term.