VCU Commencement

Graduation Info

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Commencement announcements

Standard announcements are $12 for a package of 10. Announcements include two envelopes and a blank name card. Standard announcements are available for sale at the Barnes & Noble @ VCU on the Monroe Park Campus and the MCV Campus.

Personalized announcements are available at a price of $47 for 25 announcements. These announcements incorporate the graduate's name, degree and major into the text; announcements must be ordered by April 1 to guarantee a May delivery.

Class Rings

Information on custom-crafted class rings is available during the Grad Finale and regalia fitting sessions at the Barnes & Noble @ VCU on the Monroe Park Campus and the MCV Campus. For additional ordering information, please visit the website at college.jostens.com or call (800) 854-7464.

Diplomas

Diplomas selected for pickup will be available in the Harris Hall Student Services Center, 1015 Floyd Ave., Room 1100, during office hours beginning on or after Monday, June 4. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. If a third party plans to pick up your diploma, you must notify the Graduation Office at (804) 828-1917 on the same day to authorize the pickup. Diplomas not picked up by June 29 will be mailed starting July 2. Diplomas selected for mailing will be mailed beginning June 4.

Cap and gown fitting and distribution

Caps, gowns and hoods are awarded free of charge to all eligible graduates in recognition of their achievement. This memento of the occasion will be distributed during a Grad Finale event on each campus. In addition to receiving your cap and gown, the Grad Finale event will include representatives from various departments to help you prepare for graduation. You also may order announcements, select a class ring and purchase graduation accessories during the Grad Finale. Locations and dates for the Grad Finale are:

The final cap and gown distribution sessions will be held at the Barnes & Noble @ VCU on the MCV Campus, May 7 and 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and at the Barnes & Noble @ VCU on the Monroe Park Campus, May 9, 10 and 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. If special accommodations are needed, please call Barnes & Noble @ VCU on the Monroe Park Campus at (804) 828-1678 or Barnes & Noble @ VCU on the MCV Campus at (804) 828-0336. If you are unable to attend the Grad Finale or the final cap and gown distribution session, please order your regalia online at college.jostens.com. Shipping charges will apply to all Internet orders. Caps and gowns will not be available the day of Commencement.

Assembling and robing

All candidates should plan to arrive at the Coliseum by 8:30 a.m., using the lower Leigh Street entrance, which is handicap accessible, and entering directly off Leigh Street. Candidates should follow signs to their school assembly areas where faculty marshals will provide further information.

Graduation portraits

GradImages will take studio-quality graduation portraits featuring your choice of background plus cap and gown at Grad Finale on March 19 and 20 on the Monroe Park Campus and March 26 on the MCV Campus. This is the best time to have your photo taken, so please come prepared. A final opportunity will be available before Commencement exercises, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., May 12 at the Leigh Street entrance of the Richmond Coliseum. Portrait opportunities are sponsored by the VCU and MCV Alumni Associations.

Diploma Frames

Diploma frames designed and matted especially for Virginia Commonwealth University will be available through the bookstores. For additional information, please visit or call the Barnes & Noble @ VCU on the Monroe Park Campus at (804) 828-1678, or the Barnes & Noble @ VCU on the MCV Campus at (804) 828-0336.

Commencement exercises

Commencement exercises will be held on Saturday, May 12, 2012, at 10 a.m. in the Richmond Coliseum, 601 E. Leigh St. Seating is limited and offered on a first-come basis. Please see "Guest seating" for more information.

Special note

The Coliseum policy strictly prohibits alcoholic beverages, balloons and/or flammables of any form being brought into the building. Be advised that the police will confiscate these items. We want you to enjoy the day, but we expect our graduates to comply with these policies for the safety of all our guests.

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Guest seating

The plaza-level doors to the Coliseum will be opened for guests at 9 a.m. The Leigh Street entrance is for graduates only. Tickets are not required and there is no reserved seating. Once the capacity of the Coliseum is reached, no one will be allowed admission. If guests exit the Coliseum during the ceremony, they will not be readmitted as long as the seating capacity has been reached.

Special accommodations

Sections 14L, 15L, 30L and 31L at the Coliseum are wheelchair accessible. Hearing-impaired guests may want to sit in Section 17L, where an interpreter can be seen more easily.

Mobility-impaired guests and candidates may park on 7th Street at the Coliseum entrance. Graduation candidates who need special accommodations should contact Joyce Knight at Disability Support Services by calling (804) 828-1139.

Visitor Information

If you need information about lodging and dining accommodations, "The Complete Visitor's Guide" is available from the Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, 401 N. 3rd St., Richmond, VA 23219. Call (804) 782-2777 or (888) 742-4666, or visit www.visitrichmondva.com.

Parking

For a nominal fee, parking is available through private contractors in decks and lots adjoining the Coliseum. Mobility-impaired guests and candidates may park at the Coliseum entrance on 7th Street. Visit richmondcoliseum.net/visitor.asp for directions and additional parking information.

Special events

Lavender Graduation

On Friday, April 27, VCU will host its inaugural Lavender Graduation, a special graduation ceremony that honors the achievements of graduating gender and sexual minority students on campus, at the VCU Scott House, 909 W. Franklin St. All students who participate will be invited to join an LGBTQ and Allies alumni chapter. You must register to attend at www.vcu-mcvalumni.org/lavender by April 6, 2012, to participate in this event. There is no fee and up to three guests can attend with graduates. December 2011 and August 2012 graduates and their guests also are invited to attend.

Your Passport to the World

Celebrate your graduation at Your Passport to the World – a party in your honor sponsored by the VCU and MCV Alumni Associations. Don't miss this exclusive event! Enjoy foods from around the world, beverages and music. The big event will take place Wednesday, May 9, from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at the Science Museum of Virginia, 2500 W. Broad St. Prize drawings will be held at 8 p.m. The event is open to all 2012 graduates and one guest each. The entry fee is $10 per person for advance purchase only, or join the VCU or MCV Alumni Associations as a GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) member for $25 and receive a complimentary ticket to this event. Register online at www.vcu-mcvalumni.org/Passport2012 or at Grad Finale, or visit the alumni association houses at 924 W. Franklin St. or 1016 E. Clay St. Deadline for $10 registration is Thursday, May 3. The fee at the door will be $20 per person.

Baccalaureate service

The Interfaith Campus Ministers Association will sponsor an interfaith baccalaureate service for graduates from both VCU campuses. The 2012 baccalaureate service is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 10, and will be held in the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts, located at 922 Park Ave. The Singleton Center is accessible to those who are mobility-impaired. The service will feature a baccalaureate address and an interfaith service incorporating representatives and special music from various religious traditions. All 2012 graduates, faculty, staff, and friends and family of the Class of 2012 are cordially invited to attend. Candidates are invited to wear caps and gowns at this event.

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