College of Medicine and Life Sciences - Commencement

Information for Family & Friends

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All guests should enter Savage Arena through the main lobby. The estimated time for doors to open to the arena for seating is 1 p.m. Guests may wait in the Savage Arena lobby until the doors are open. Guests are not permitted in the graduate line-up area.

Admission to the ceremony does not require a ticket.  Seating is unlimited, however, in consideration of all guests, saving of seats for family and friends is discouraged. 

Please note: Confetti and mylar balloons are not permitted.


Parking Information

Areas 1N, 1S, 2, and 10 are the recommended areas for guest parking. See map and directions.


Format of Ceremony

Though specific details vary from year to year, the Commencement Ceremony follows a standard general format:

  • Faculty and University Leadership process into Savage Arena.
  • Graduates are seated in rows of assigned seats located on the floor of Savage Arena. There will be a printed program on each graduate's chair.
  • Ceremony includes various welcome addresses by distinguished University administrators, awarding of one or more honorary degrees, Commencement addresses by one or more invited speakers (e.g., the honorary degree recipient), student-led speeches (most often one M.D. and one graduate student speaker), and the recitation of an oath by the M.D. recipients.
  • Each graduate's name is read aloud during the ceremony.
  • At the end of the ceremony, graduates recess out of the arena. Guests can meet their graduates in the after the entire Commencement party has recessed out of the arena. 

Viewing Commencement Virtually

A live stream video of the COMLS ceremony will be available on the commencement webpage. Recordings of the ceremonies will also be posted for graduates and guests who are unable to attend in person.


Photographs

Family and guests are free to take pictures from the stands, but may not come down onto the arena floor.

A professional photograph is taken of each candidate.

To purchase: Navigate to the event page for commencement at http://kurtnphoto.zenfolio.com/events
Search for photos under UTCOM GRADUATION.

For more information contact:
Kurt Nielsen Photography
5431 Schultz Drive
Sylvania, OH  43560
419.885.7153

Last Updated: 6/27/22