Commencement 2023

Commencement Activities 2023

The following is the schedule for the 2022-2023 Commencement Convocations. Ceremonies have open seating and will take place outside on The Quad adjacent to McClurkan Hall, weather permitting.

Summer Commencement Convocation 2023

Guest Information

• Live-Streaming – Commencement for all events will be streamed here.
• Alumni Association Congratulations – Graduates are invited to stop by the Alumni Association Tent on Hart Street at the roundabout immediately following the Commencement Convocation. There will be a photo wall for taking pictures and a gift for graduates.
• Nursing Pinning Ceremony – Friday, May 5, 2023 (time and location TBD).
• Phi Delta Lambda Honors Dinner and Induction Ceremony (by invitation only) – Friday, May 5, at 5:30 p.m.in Benson Auditorium, McClurkan Building. PDL is the national honor society of the colleges and universities of the Church of the Nazarene. Undergraduates, both traditional and nontraditional, are eligible for induction during the year they graduate. Inductees will have a minimum cumulative 3.8 GPA. Membership will not exceed 15 percent of the total number of graduates. Graduates being inducted will receive official notification by email in April.
• Honor Cords – Cords are provided by the University for all undergraduate candidates with a 3.5 GPA or higher and are distributed with the academic regalia. Latin Honors of Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude and Summa Cum Laude will be read at the commencement ceremony and printed on the diploma, as calculated through the fall semester.
• Seating for Guests with Wheelchairs – Reserved seating is available for guests with wheelchairs. One guest may sit with the individual needing special accommodations in the accessibility seating area, located on the lawn in front of the Mackey Building. You may notify the Office of University Engagement at 615-248-1355 or universityengagement@trevecca.edu with the name of the two guests to be seated in this area. Accessible parking is available with a valid ADA placard clearly displayed on your dashboard or visor before you enter campus. Parking is available on a first come, first served basis.
• Graduation Photos – Individual pictures of the graduates will be taken by Gradlmages® during the ceremony. Visit the Gradlmages® website to register and receive 20 percent off a purchase of $50 or more. Add your friends' and families' email addresses and they will also save 20 percent on photos and receive a link to view your photos. Proofs will be sent as soon as they are available after the event.
• Hotels/Motels Offering Special Trevecca Rates – Following this link will provide you with a list of nearby hotels and motels. The quality of these establishments is not guaranteed. When calling, ask for the special rate for Trevecca guests.
• Directions to Campus  
• Campus Map

Inclement Weather Plan

All Commencement Convocations will be held outside on The Quad unless there is a significant weather issue. Seating on The Quad is unlimited, however, in the event of rain, indoor seating is limited to those who have a ticket.

Final decision about implementation of the rain plan

A decision about the location of the ceremonies will be made at the earliest time possible. However, that decision may not happen until two hours prior to either of the ceremonies. In case of rain during the time of the individual ceremonies, only the event affected by weather will be moved inside. The University will post an announcement on Trevecca's homepage up to one hour before the ceremony should the rain plan be implemented. In addition, up-to-date information will be available via the official University Facebook page  and Twitter page.

Should the inclement weather plan need to be implemented, seating will be limited. Graduates should locate the rain plan tickets included in their graduation/regalia packet for their guests. Only guests with a ticket will be permitted for indoor ceremonies. Each guest, child or adult, will need to have a ticket. 

Locations of Indoor Ceremonies

Commencement Convocations will be held at 9 a.m. for the following groups in the stated locations:

Moore Gymnasium – 9 a.m.
Associate and Bachelor's degree candidates, Traditional

Boone Convocation Center - 9 a.m.
Associate and Bachelor's degree candidates, Nontraditional

Commencement Convocations will be held at 2 p.m. for the following groups in the stated locations:

Boone Convocation Center – 2 p.m.
Doctor of Business Administration
Master of Arts
     African American Worship Studies
     Church and Community
     Organizational Leadership
     Theology and Biblical Studies
     Worship and Leadership

Master of Business Administration
Master of Organizational Leadership
Master of Public Administration
Master of Science
     Healthcare Administration
     Instructional Design & Technology
     Management

Moore Gymnasium – 2 p.m.
Doctor of Education
Doctor of Philosophy
Specialist in Education
Master of Arts in Teaching
Master of Education
Master of Library and Information Science
Master of Arts
     Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Master of Marriage and Family Counseling/Therapy

Line-up Plans

Graduates will line up in the following locations:

• Moore Gymnasium – Lower-Level Hallway of Moore Gymnasium
• Boone Convocation Center – Classroom Hallways of the Boone Business Building

Parking

• Main campus entrance – Enter the campus via the main entrance or the service entrance and park in the church parking lot, the North Drive AC lot, or the Benson parking lot (in front of Benson Hall).
• Nance Lane – Enter the campus via Nance Lane and personnel will direct you to parking lots within a short distance of The Quad (or Moore Gymnasium).
• Accessible handicap parking – Available with your ADA placard or license plate; however, parking is limited in all lots. Those who desire accessible parking should arrive early enough to be directed to a reserved space. These spaces are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Other available parking – Behind residence halls (Wise, Tennessee, Georgia) and along Nance Lane, behind the Jackson Center of Music and Worship Arts, and the Polk Avenue lot.
  Parking areas are highlighted on the map below.

In the event of inclement weather, please plan to park in one of the lots nearest the indoor ceremony you will be attending.

Instructions for Associate & Bachelor's Degrees, Traditional and Nontraditional

Saturday, May 6, 2023, at 9 a.m.

• Graduates should wear their academic regalia* to campus for their ceremony. All associate and bachelor's degree candidates, both traditional and nontraditional, should assemble at 8:20 a.m. on Saturday, May 6. Student marshals will line up graduates facing the quad on the sidewalk at the top of the stairs leading down to the bell tower. Associate candidates, traditional and nontraditional, will line up first, in two lines directly behind the student marshals on the sidewalk connecting the Adams Building and the Reed Memorial Tower, facing the tower. Bachelor's candidates, traditional and nontraditional, will line up behind the associate graduates in two lines and continue on the sidewalk alongside the Martin Building, facing the circle in front of the Adams Building. There is no order to the line once graduates are grouped by degree level.
• Faculty marshals will check to see that graduates are lined up properly and to ensure each graduate has the name card* with his/her name printed on it. The name cards were distributed with the regalia packet. Please complete the name card on the back and bring the card to the Commencement Convocation. Graduates will hand the card to Dr. Lena Welch at the podium, who will call their name at conferring of the degree.
• The march will begin at 8:50 a.m. Administrators and faculty will lead, marching through the line of graduating candidates. The line will proceed through the Reed Bell Tower, across Hart Street and onto The Quad.
• After marching in, graduates will remain standing as a group until after the invocation.
• All men will leave their caps on except during the invocation and the benediction.
• Graduation is a formal ceremony and academic regalia must be worn as distributed by the University.
• Do not wear anything on the outside of the academic regalia, such as a corsage, stole, sticker, button, etc.
• Associate and bachelor's candidates should wear the tassel over their right temple and move it to the left after receiving their diploma cover, as they are exiting the platform.
• Following the benediction, graduates exit immediately behind the faculty. Student marshals will direct each row, beginning with those at the front.
• Graduates are invited to stop by the Alumni Association Tent on Hart Street at the roundabout immediately after the Commencement Convocation. There will be a photo wall for taking pictures and a gift for graduates.
• The University has arranged for a Gradlmages® to take photos of each graduate during the ceremony. Register at the Gradlmages® website to take advantage of a 20 percent discount for you, your family, and friends. Your proofs will be sent to you as soon as they are available after the ceremony.
• Commencement will be live streamed for all events at this link.

*Graduates who chose to have their regalia shipped to campus will pick up their regalia, name card, commencement information sheet, four (4) rain plan tickets and honor cords (if applicable) at the mailroom, located in Tarter Student Activities Center (TSAC) on the left side of Moore Gym between Monday, April 24 and Friday, May 5, from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Graduates will receive an email notification that they have a package to pick up when their regalia arrives. Please pick up your items before graduation day.

*Graduates who chose to have their regalia shipped to their homes will need to pick up the name card, commencement information sheet, four (4) rain plan tickets and honor cords (if applicable) at the mailroom, located in Tarter Student Activities Center (TSAC) on the left side of Moore Gym beginning Monday, April 24, and Friday, May 5, from 9 a.m.–4 p.m.  Please make every effort to pick up your items before graduation day.

Conferring of Degrees

In the awarding of degrees, the following procedures will be followed:

• The University provost will ask the candidates to stand. All graduates will stand together and remain standing until the president and University provost finish their comments.
• The provost will read a brief statement to the president who will respond and confer the degrees. We invite parents, family members and friends to stand as their graduate's name is called and the diploma cover is received. Graduates may wish to alert their guests to be ready to stand.
• The first two rows of associate and bachelor's degree candidates will remain standing and proceed to the platform, led by a student marshal. Everyone else is seated. As each row comes to the aisle, the marshal will ask the next row to stand as a group, move to the aisle and proceed to the platform.
• As the candidate approaches the top of the ramp leading to the stage, he/she will give the completed name card* from the packet to Dr. Lena Welch at the podium. The student will quietly speak their name to Dr. Welch, who will then announce the student's name.
• Each graduate will wait at the top of the ramp until his/her name and honors have been read and then walk across the stage to receive a diploma folder. Graduates will pause for a moment when receiving the diploma folder from the president to have a picture taken by Gradlmages®. The chairman of the Board of Trustees and the president of the Alumni Association will also give congratulations.
• Graduates will descend by the opposite ramp, have a photo taken and then return to their original row. They will remain standing until the complete row of graduates has returned and then be seated together, as a row.

*It is important that graduates complete the name card on the back and they bring the card to the Commencement Convocation. 

Additional Information for Graduates

• Summer graduates must be within 6 hours of graduation by the end of the spring semester in order to be eligible to participate in Commencement. In addition, the summer graduate must have a feasible plan for completing all graduation requirements by August 15. Summer graduates are expected to follow their plan for program completion. All courses are to be taken in summer school at Trevecca unless advance approval is provided through approval through the Office of Academic Records.
• Traditional undergraduate students who had student loans need to schedule an exit meeting with the Office of Financial Aid. Please email financialservices@trevecca.edu or call 615-248-1242 to schedule an appointment.
• Diplomas will be mailed. Academic Records will have one month after the conferral date to award the degrees. For May conferrals, diplomas will be mailed the first week of June, providing there are no holds on the student account. For August conferrals, diplomas will be mailed the second week of September providing there are no holds on the student account. Please make sure to communicate this information with parent(s)/guardian(s) as well.
• A final decision about implementation of the rain plan will be made as soon as possible prior to the time of each ceremony. However, that decision may not happen until two hours prior to any of the ceremonies. In case of rain during the time of any of the individual ceremonies, only the event affected by weather will be moved inside. Seating for indoor ceremonies will be limited to four (4) guests per graduate. Graduates should locate the rain plan tickets included in their graduation/regalia packet, which will be needed for guest entry to the ceremony. Please refer to the Commencement Inclement Weather for complete details about the rain plan. 

Instructions for Master's, Specialist & Doctoral Degrees

Saturday, May 7, 2022, at 2 p.m.

• Graduates should wear their academic regalia* to campus for their ceremony. All Masters, Specialist, and Doctoral degree candidates should assemble at 1:20 p.m. on Saturday, May 6. Faculty marshals will line up graduates facing the Quad, on the sidewalk at the top of the stairs leading down to the bell tower. Doctoral candidates will line up first, in two lines directly behind the student marshals on the sidewalk connecting the Adams Building and the Reed Memorial Tower, facing the tower. Ph.D. candidates should be at the front in the right line. Masters and specialist degree candidates will line up in two rows behind the doctoral graduates and continue on the sidewalk alongside the Martin Building, facing the circle in front of the Adams Building. There is no order to the line once graduates are in their groups.
• Faculty marshals will check to see that graduates are lined up properly and to ensure that each graduate has the name card* with his/her name printed on it. The name cards were distributed with the regalia packet. Please complete the back of the name card and bring the card to the Commencement Convocation. Graduates will hand the card to Dr. Jonathan Bartling at the podium, who will call their name when the degree is awarded.
• The march will begin at 1:50 p.m. Administrators and faculty will lead, marching through the line of graduate candidates. The line will proceed through the Reed Bell Tower, across Hart Street and onto The Quad.
• After marching in, graduates will remain standing as a group until after the invocation.
• All men will leave their caps on except during the invocation and the benediction.
• Graduation is a formal ceremony and academic regalia must be worn as distributed by the University.
• Do not wear anything on the outside of the academic regalia, such as a corsage, stole, sticker, button, etc.
• Master's and doctoral candidates should wear the tassel over the left temple.
• Master's and specialist candidates will wear their hoods to the ceremony.
• Doctoral candidates will receive instructions about their hoods from their advisors and program leaders.
• Following the benediction, graduates will exit immediately behind the faculty. Marshals will direct each row, beginning with those at the front.
• Graduates are invited to stop by the Alumni Association Tent on Hart Street at the roundabout immediately after the Commencement Convocation. There will be a photo wall for taking pictures and a gift for graduates.
• The University has arranged for a Gradlmages® to take photos of each graduate during the ceremony. Register at the Gradlmages® website to take advantage of a 20 percent discount for you, your family, and friends. Your proofs will be sent to you as soon as they are available after the ceremony.
• Commencement will be live streamed for all events at this link. 

*Graduates who chose to have their regalia shipped to campus will pick up their regalia, name card, commencement information sheet and four rain plan tickets at the mailroom, located in Tarter Student Activities Center (TSAC) on the left side of Moore Gym, between Monday, April 24 and Friday, May 5, from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Graduates will receive an email notification that they have a package to pick up when their regalia comes in. Please pick up your items before graduation day.

*Graduates who chose to have their regalia shipped to home will need to pick up the name card, commencement information sheet and four rain plan tickets at the mailroom, located in Tarter Student Activities Center (TSAC) on the left side of Moore Gym between Monday, April 24 and Friday, May 5, from 9 a.m.–4 p.m.  Please make every effort to pick up your items before graduation day.

Regalia Return (DBA, Ed.D. & Ph.D. Graduates)

Conferring of Degrees

In the awarding of degrees, the following procedure will be followed:

• The University provost will ask the candidates to stand. Everyone stands together and remains standing until the president and University provost finish their comments.
• The provost will read a brief statement to the president who will respond and confer the degrees. The provost will invite parents, family members and friends to stand as their graduate's name is called and the diploma cover is received. Graduates may wish to alert them prior to Commencement.
• The first two rows of master’s degree candidates will remain standing and proceed to the platform, led by a faculty marshal. Everyone else is seated. As each row comes to the aisle, the marshal will ask the next row to stand as a group and move to the aisle and proceed to the platform. Degrees will be awarded by section. Masters degrees will be awarded first followed by Specialist degrees. Doctoral degrees will be awarded last.
• As the candidate approaches the top of the ramp leading to the stage, he/she will give their completed name card* from the packet to Dr. Bartling standing at the podium. The student will quietly speak their name to the reader, who will then announce the student's name.
• Each graduate will wait at the top of the ramp until his/her name has been read and then walk across the stage and receive their diploma folder. Graduates will pause for a moment when receiving the diploma folder from the president to have a picture taken by Gradlmages®. The chairman of the Board of Trustees and the president of the Alumni Association will also give congratulations.
• Doctoral candidates will be hooded after their name is called, prior to receiving the diploma folder.
• Graduates will descend by the opposite ramp, have a photo taken, and then return to their original row. They will remain standing until the complete row of graduates has returned, and then be seated together as a row.

*It is important that graduates complete the name card on the back and they bring the card to the Commencement Convocation. 

Additional Information for Graduates

• Summer master graduates must be within 6 hours of graduation by the end of the spring semester in order to be eligible to participate in commencement. In addition, the summer master graduate must have a feasible plan for completing all graduation requirements by August 15. Summer master graduates are expected to follow their plan for program completion. All courses are to be taken in summer school at Trevecca unless there is advance approval through the Office of Academic Records.
• Diplomas will be mailed. Academic Records will have one month after the conferral date to award the degrees. For May conferrals, diplomas will be mailed the first week of June, providing there are no holds on the student account. For August conferrals, diplomas will be mailed the second week of September, providing there are no holds on the student account. Please communicate this information with parent(s)/guardian(s) as well.
• A final decision about implementation of the rain plan will be made as soon as possible prior to the time of each ceremony. However, that decision may not happen until two hours prior to any of the ceremonies. In case of rain during the time of any of the individual ceremonies, only the event affected by weather will be moved inside. Seating for indoor ceremonies will be limited to 4 guests per graduate. Graduates should locate the rain plan tickets included in their graduation/regalia packet, which will be needed for guest entry to the ceremony. Please refer to the Commencement Inclement Weather tab for complete details about the rain plan.