Commencement
Celebrating the hard work, academic successes and personal growth of our students
Graduation is a huge achievement and we congratulate each of our students who have successfully reached this goal in their academic journey.
Commencement Ceremony –
Saturday, December 7, 2019, 10:00 a.m.
Congratulations to our December graduates! Commencement will be held in the Geary Auditorium, located in Riggleman Hall on our Charleston campus at 10:00 a.m.
Doors to the auditorium will open at 9:00 a.m., and seating will be on a first come, first served basis. Once the auditorium is full, guests will be directed to the Erma Byrd Gallery (on the 3rd floor), where the ceremony will be live streamed.
Graduates should check in between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. They MUST be checked in and in line for the ceremony by 9:30 a.m.
The commencement address will be given by NBA great and philanthropist Dave “The Admiral” Robinson.
Download the FAQs for December’s Commencement Graduation.
Download the Commencement Program
Additional Ceremonies for December, 2019:
School of Nursing Pinning Ceremony
Thursday, December 5
The Capito Department of Nursing will hold its Pinning Ceremony Thursday, December 5, at 6:30 p.m. The ceremony will be held in the Geary Auditorium in Riggleman Hall.
School of Business and Leadership Hooding Ceremony
Friday, December 6
The Hooding Ceremony for the School of Business and Leadership will be held Friday, December 6 at 6:00 p.m. in Geary Auditorium in Riggleman Hall. There will be a reception for graduates, families and friends in the Rotunda following the ceremony.
Spring 2020 Commencement Information
Commencement Ceremony for Saturday, May 2, 2020
Our May Commencement will be held in the H. Bernard Wehrle Athletic Arena, inside our Innovation Center. There are separate commencement ceremonies for our undergraduate and graduate level students. Graduate level commencement/hooding of candidates will take place at 11:00 a.m., and undergraduate commencement will be at 5:00 p.m.
Each Academic School will host a reception between the two commencement ceremonies
Do I need a ticket to attend graduation?
You don’t need a ticket for our December graduation.
Is there reserved seating?
No, seating is on a first-come, first served basis. Once the auditorium is full, guests will be directed to the Erma Byrd Gallery (3rd floor) to watch the event live streamed.
What time do doors open?
Doors will open an hour before commencement begins. If you have a handicapped member of the family, or someone who needs extra help to get seated, there are ushers stationed throughout the area to help.
Please note: There is an elevator available to access the ceremony. Those who need elevator access can enter the building from the Keenan Parking Lot (turn right when you come in to campus and the lot is the first lot on the left.)
Can I take photos?
We do ask that families not rush to the stage to get photos. We have a professional photographer who takes photos during the event, and you can visit his website at www.mypicturesnow.com. Before and after the ceremony, we invite graduates and their families to take group photos out on our beautiful riverbank.
Will the Bookstore and Coffee Tavern be open?
The Bookstore will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Friday, December 6 and from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 7.
The Coffee Tavern will be open regular hours on Friday, and from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 7.
Where to stay
There are several hotels near campus, and we have a list of those that offer visiting UC families a discount: see Where to stay
Directions for getting to campus and campus map
Charleston is located at the confluence of three interstates (I-64, I-77, I-79).
It is served by Yeager Airport, named for the pilot who first broke the sound barrier (Chuck Yeager). Service is provided by American, Delta, Spirit and United Airlines. The airport is about 10 minutes from campus.
Amtrak’s Cardinal line serves Charleston, with a passenger station close to campus. There is also Greyhound bus service as well.
Charleston is served by Uber, Lyft and C&H Taxi. All major rental car services are available at the airport and other locations around the region.
UC is easy to get to. For driving directions, see Directions to Campus. We also have a Campus Map that can help. Remember that there will be signs and people directing you to the ceremony.