Commencement Ceremony Information

Spring/Summer 2008 College Commencement Ceremony

2:00 p.m.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Knoxville Convention Center, Exhibit Hall A
701 Henley Street
Knoxville, Tennessee 37902

Personal items and/or valuables should not be brought to or left unattended at the commencement ceremony. All cell phones must be turned off or set to silent mode as soon as you enter the seating area. Please refrain from cell phone use before and during the ceremony.

Arrival Time

Graduates must arrive at the Convention Center and be fully gowned by 1:15 p.m. The ceremony will begin promptly at 2:00 p.m. and will last approximately 60 minutes.

Location

Graduates and guests should enter the Knoxville Convention Center from the main entrance on Clinch Avenue. You will enter on the third floor. Ceremony participants should take either the escalators or the elevator to the second floor and follow the signs to meeting Rooms 200A and 200B for registration. Guests should take the escalators or elevator to the first floor, follow the signs to Exhibit Hall A, and be seated.

Guest Seating

The facilities will open one hour before the ceremony begins. Guest seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis in Exhibit Hall A. Seating for hearing impaired guests will be available at the front of the auditorium on the left side. General wheelchair-accessible seating will be available throughout the exhibition hall. No tickets are required and guests do not need to register.

Graduate Registration

All graduates must register at the table outside the entrance of Meeting Rooms 200A and 200B. You will receive an index card with your name. Do not lose this card. You must give the card to the designated reader who will announce your name as you cross the stage.

Graduate Processional

After registering and receiving your index card, proceed inside Meeting Rooms 200A and 200B for assembly for the processional. Once inside the Exhibit Hall A auditorium, ushers will prompt you when you should rise and move toward the stage.

Staging

Once on stage, hand your index card to the reader and proceed to accept congratulations from your department head and dean of the college.

Photography

As a courtesy to all in attendance, please have your guests refrain from advancing to the front of the stage to take photos as you are walking across. A professional photographer will be taking photos as you shake hands with the dean on stage. There will be another photographer as you leave the stage that will take your photograph alone. After the ceremony, the dean and department heads will be available in the stage area for additional graduate and guest photo opportunities.

Adjournment

After you have your photograph taken, return to your designated seating area and remain seated until the conclusion of the ceremony. Do not leave any personal items or valuables unattended at any time during the ceremony. Once the ceremony has been adjourned, you may meet your guests and make your way to the reception on the Park Terrace outside the convention center.