Congratulations Class of 2022!
UNCG Fall Commencement | December 9, 2022 | Greensboro Coliseum
UNCG Fall Doctoral Hooding | December 8, 2022 | UNCG Auditorium
To Do List for Graduating Seniors
- Apply to graduate for Fall 2022 graduation. The undergraduate application is open now and closes on October 7, 2022. Your name will not appear in the commencement program if you apply to graduate after the October 7th deadline. If you have not already done so, apply to graduate at https://spartancentral.uncg.edu/graduation/apply-for-graduation/.
- RSVP! Inform the university whether or not you plan to attend the commencement ceremony at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, December 9th at the Greensboro Coliseum. All students who plan to participate in the ceremony MUST RSVP by November 14. Emails will be sent to your UNCG inbox prompting you to RSVP for the event. Please note, our RSVP process is done through MarchingOrder and the email will come from noreply@marchingorder.com. Students who fail to submit their RSVP by November 14th will sit at the back of their school or college lineup at the ceremony.
- Purchase regalia. Undergraduate and master’s regalia purchases, or orders may be made at the Bookstore, located in the Elliot University Center. The deadline to purchase regalia is November 18th. Click here to place your order today! Students who are eligible to graduate with honors according to the guidelines in the Undergraduate Catalog may pick up honors cords in the bookstore around the middle of November. The bookstore will have a list of students eligible for honors cords. The honors designation is tentative until final grades are recorded. If you have questions regarding regalia, contact the bookstore at 336-334-5563.
- Pay the graduation fee. $85.00 must be paid to the Cashiers and Student Accounts Office no later than November 9, 2022—thirty days prior to your graduation date.
Greensboro Coliseum
Commencement Updates
- There are currently no social distancing requirements at the Coliseum. Seating in the Coliseum is open and no tickets are required.
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We will follow University and UNC System COVID-19 protocols that are in place at the time of the ceremony. Closer to the date, please visit the Shield our Spartans for the current protocols.
Undergraduate Students
Graduate Students
Faculty
Friends and Family
What to Do and Expect Commencement Morning
The UNCG commencement ceremony is a formal, traditional, academic exercise. The ceremony will begin with a processional of all participants, followed by greetings and speeches from academic dignitaries, the conferring of degrees, tassel turning ceremony, singing of the Alma Mater, the ringing of the University Bell, and the recessional. The Commencement Brass will provide music. The ceremony lasts around 2 and a half hours.
- Arrive no later than 9:00 a.m (expect heavy traffic). Click for a map of your assembly area and entrance.
- There is NO rehearsal.
- No guest tickets are required.
- All students will be required to go through a metal detector before entering the lineup area. Please take note of the Coliseum Complex bag policy and full list of prohibited items here.
- Commencement programs will be provided in a digital, print-ready format and distributed as a PDF on the Commencement Website. Names of Summer 2022 and Fall 2022 graduation candidates will be included in the program.
- Wear your tassel on the right side of your cap unless you are a second-degree student. During the tassel turning ceremony, undergraduates will turn their tassels from the right side to the left to indicate receipt of the Baccalaureate.
- The processional begins promptly at 10:00 a.m.
Tips for an Enjoyable Commencement Experience
- Eat Breakfast! The ceremony will last approximately two and a half hours.
- If a friend or family member has restricted mobility or is deaf or hard of hearing, we have information listed here.
Please note that participation in the ceremony does not presume graduation from the university. Degrees are conferred only after all academic requirements are met and the Board of Trustees has taken official action. We congratulate you on your accomplishments and look forward to seeing you at the ceremony. Please contact commence@uncg.edu if you have questions about the commencement ceremony.
We ask that you submit requests for accommodations in our RSVP form. All requests will be reviewed by event organizers and reasonable accommodations will be made. The requester will be notified of approved accommodations. Please contact commence@uncg.edu if you have questions or concerns.
Parking
- Parking is free and no passes are required for students or guests.
- Expect heavy traffic on the day of the ceremony.
Shuttle Service
- As a service to the campus community, Park & Ride buses will transport volunteers, students, staff, and faculty between campus and the Coliseum on commencement day.
- Buses will depart campus every 30 minutes beginning at 7 a.m. with the final shuttle returning to campus at 1 p.m.
- Passengers may board the bus on Stirling St. in front of the Elliot University Center.
Commencement Photography
- The Grad Team is pleased to provide this complimentary service for each graduate during the commencement ceremony.
- There is no obligation to purchase.
- If a valid e-mail address is available to the photographer, a link to commencement photograph proofs will also be sent to participating graduates via e-mail. Students, be sure to update your preferred email in UNCGenie.
- Please do not contact the school with inquiries related to photographic service. For information about commencement photographs, go to The Grad Team UNCG webpage.
- Share your accomplishments with the campus community on social media by tagging your posts #UNCGGrad and #UNCGWay.
Commencement Livestream
Be sure to come back here on December 9th at 10:00 a.m. to watch the Commencement livestream.
Show your Appreciation
More Information for:
Undergraduate Students
- Apply to Graduate
- Honors Information for Undergraduates
- Academic Requirements
- The RSVP link will be sent to your UNCG email address by September 26th.
Graduate Students
Master’s Student RSVP
We are proud to invite our 2022 December master’s degree candidates to participate in the University’s Fall Commencement on Friday, December 9th at 10 a.m. in the Greensboro Coliseum.
The RSVP link will be sent to your UNCG email address September 26.
Academic Regalia
Academic regalia for graduate students will be available for order in the UNCG Bookstore deadline to purchase regalia is November 18th.
To ensure receipt of appropriate hood color, master’s graduates/candidates. The cap, tassel, gown and master’s hood may be purchased from the Bookstore here.
Parking Information
See the Parking Map for more information on where to park and enter the Coliseum on the day of commencement.
Doctoral Hooding Ceremony
Doctoral RSVP
We are proud to invite our 2022 December doctoral degree candidates to participate in the University’s December Doctoral Hooding Ceremony on Thursday, December 8 at 10 a.m. in the UNCG Auditorium. For detailed information about the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony, please visit the website here.
Please note, this will be a ticketed event. You can reserve these seats when submitting your RSVP. Your individual RSVP link will be sent to your UNCG email address on September 13th.
Since all graduates will receive individual recognition and hooding as they walk across the stage, it is imperative that we know if you plan to complete degree requirements and attend the commencement ceremony. The RSVP link will be sent to your UNCG email address by September 13th.
You are also invited to attend University Commencement to process and sit with UNCG faculty. This ceremony is on December 9th at 10 am. Please indicate whether you plan to attend when you fill out the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony RSVP.
Doctoral Regalia
Though in-person regalia orders can be placed sooner, the Bookstore will host a two day event with staff available to take orders and pre-fit students for appropriate regalia sizes. Graduation announcements and diploma frames may also be ordered at this time. All regalia purchases must be completed in person or by telephone, 336-334-5563.
Final instructions will be emailed in November to all students who RSVP that they plan to attend. We look forward to seeing you at the December 2022 Doctoral Hooding Ceremony! Watch your UNCG email for additional messages as the date nears. Check back on this website for more updates about the commencement ceremony.
Parking Information
Parking information can be found on the Doctoral Hooding website here.
Faculty
- The RSVP link to attend the University Commencement will go live in August.
- Faculty Invitation Letter will be updated by August.
- Parking Information
Guest Information
Guidelines for Graduates, Families, and Guests
- Commencement is both a joyful as well as dignified event. We ask that you express your excitement in ways that will not prevent others from hearing the speakers and enjoying the ceremony. Any distracting noisemakers, such as air horns, are prohibited and will be confiscated by Coliseum security.
- Alcohol is not permitted in the Coliseum during commencement. Security officers will be present to seize any alcohol and to prohibit from marching any who may have already consumed alcohol. Click here to view a full list of prohibited items and the Coliseum bag policy.
- Security and emergency medical personnel will be available to provide a safe environment for all commencement participants and guests.
- All electronic devices should be turned off to help ensure that all guests can hear and enjoy the ceremony.
Information for restricted mobility hearing impaired
Restricted Mobility: The Greensboro Coliseum is adequately equipped with seating to accommodate guests in wheelchairs. When guests arrive at the Coliseum, they should proceed to one of the following restricted mobility seating area sections: 106, 112, 116, 118, 124, or 128 (see map). Guests with restricted mobility should enter the Coliseum from the ground floor of the East Wing of the Special Events Center (see map). ADA drop-off locations are located in front of the ACC Hall of Champions and in front of the Special Events Center (see map). The elevator will be clearly marked. Contact the Guest Services Manager of the Greensboro Coliseum, 336.373.7461, for more information.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing: Reserved seating for guests who read American Sign Language will be available in section 127; e-mail commence@uncg.edu to reserve seats in this section.
The Coliseum offers Assistive Listening Devices—for those who are hard of hearing but do not read sign language—which work in any area of the Arena. Upon arrival, go to the Guest Services booth on the Concourse at Section 103 to secure an ALD. Guests should be prepared to leave a North Carolina Driver’s License or other form of ID, which, of course, will be returned when the device is returned.
For more information about the Greensboro Coliseum Complex and the ADA standards in place, please visit their website here or contact commence@uncg.edu.
Additional Information
For more detailed information about the ceremony please see the Friends and Family Letter.
Bell Ringing Ceremony
At the end of the Commencement Ceremony, the University Bell will ring in honor of the Graduates. The University Bell sounded the opening of the State Normal and Industrial School (now UNCG) on October 5, 1892. For forty years—until electric bells were installed—it marked significant moments of the day. The University Bell hung from a belfry in the Anniversary Plaza from 1967 until 1987 when it was removed for the purpose of restoration. The Class of 1940, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of its graduation, commissioned the restoration of the University Bell.
Faculty Marshal & Mace
The Mace is a ceremonial insignia of the University in a tradition that dates back to antiquity. Hand-chased in sterling silver, it bears academic motifs depicting the history of the institution and is carried by the Faculty Marshal on official occasions. The Mace of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro was presented by the Class of 1926 to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of its graduation and the bicentennial of the nation. It was first carried at commencement in 1978.
How to Wear your Tassel
Traditionally tassels are worn on the right side and moved to the left during a special portion of the ceremony for high school graduates. For college graduates, Bachelor again wear tassels on right side until their degrees are conferred, then move to left. Graduate students wear on left from the beginning.
Reminder from the Office of Sustainability
Philanthropy Cords
Start your new chapter as a UNCG alumna or alumnus by making a small gift in honor of your accomplishment — one that will help other students like you finish their studies and earn their degree.
Seniors who make a gift of at least their class year (for example, $20.22 or $20.23) during the academic year will be eligible to wear a special graduation cord during Commencement to recognize your dedication and commitment to UNCG. Learn more at alumni.uncg.edu/cords.
Philanthropy Cord Pickup Times
Philanthropy cords can be picked up at the Alumni House front desk Nov. 7 – 10 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. They will also be available during the December 2022 Graduate Salute & Red Carpet Reception at the Alumni House on Dec. 8.
Policies and Guidelines for participation
Commencement Regalia Protocols
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro has core values of Honesty, Fairness, Trust, Respect, and Responsibility. In keeping with our values of Respect and Responsibility, all graduating students are to respect the dignified nature of the ceremony. Formal academic regalia is required for all degree candidates participating in the University of North Carolina at Greensboro commencement ceremonies. It is the responsibility of the degree candidate to secure academic regalia prior to the ceremony from the University Bookstore and to bring it to the ceremony. Only adornments provided and/or approved by the university, such as stoles and cords, are allowed.
- Candidates for degrees must wear robes appropriate to their degree.
- Graduate candidates for master’s or doctoral degrees wear the appropriate hoods around their necks and down their backs.
- Undergraduate degree candidates who will graduate with Commencement Honors wear colored stoles and tassels provided by the university. Only one tassel is worn during the commencement ceremony.
- Cords or stoles representing registered student organizations, University recognized honor societies, students with an international affiliation, members of recognized social fraternities and sororities, military and veteran students, and members of athletic teams are allowed. Please refer to the Accessory Policy in the tab below.
- Undergraduate degree candidates place tassels on the right side of the mortarboard until their degrees are conferred at the commencement ceremonies. The tassels are switched to the left side as a part of the ceremony and are worn on that side any time thereafter.
- Mortarboards may be decorated on the top only and must be non-distracting to the ceremony and other graduates.
- No modifications may be made to the regalia gown.
Accessories Policy
The Commencement Committee of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro supports the wearing of medals, medallions, stoles, and honor cords at commencement ceremonies by students representing recognized academic honors, honors programs, and honor societies; students with an international affiliation; members of UNCG-recognized Greek letter societies; NCAA-affiliated student athletes; military and veteran students; and students with service recognized by the Office of Leadership and Service-Learning. Sashes will be worn by non-graduating University Marshals assisting with the commencement ceremony. Some academic honor societies order through their chapters; otherwise, academic regalia and accessories should be ordered through the University Bookstore.
Accessories Guidelines:
- Gold cords are reserved for graduation honors (assessed by the University Registrar’s Office).
- Other cord colors are available for other honorary societies.
- Sashes and stoles are designated for international students, athletes, service and service/academic organizations, Greek organizations, etc.
If your planned use of an accessory falls outside of the guidelines above, contact your organization’s advisor or sponsor who should submit a request/justification here.
The deadline to request a new accessory for the December ceremony is November 1.
Commencement Participation Policy for Undergraduates
Students completing all degree requirements by the end of the spring semester are encouraged to participate in the May Commencement. Students completing degree requirements by the end of the fall semester are encouraged to participate in the December Commencement. Students completing degree requirements by the end of the Summer Session may participate in either the May or December commencement ceremony by applying to graduate, paying the graduation fee, and notifying the University Registrar’s Office. Please note: degree candidates will not earn degrees nor be graduated from the University until they have completed all degree requirements. The names of August graduates appear only in the December commencement program.
Participation in a commencement ceremony does not presume graduation from the University. Students who do not apply for graduation before the published deadline for any semester must apply for graduation during the next semester. Students who have applied for graduation but fail to meet the requirements must reapply for graduation by the published deadline for the semester in which they will fulfill the requirements. Degrees are conferred only after all requirements are completed and the Board of Trustees has taken official action.
Commencement Participation Policy for Graduate Students
Students completing all degree requirements by the end of the spring semester are encouraged to participate in the May Commencement ceremony.
Students completing all degree requirements by the end of the fall semester are encouraged to participate in the December Commencement ceremony. Students completing all degree requirements by the end of the Summer Session may participate in either the May or December Commencement ceremony by applying to graduate, paying the graduation fee, and notifying The Graduate School. Degree candidates will not earn degrees nor be graduated from the University until they have completed all degree requirements.
Participation in a commencement ceremony does not presume graduation from the University. Only those doctoral candidates whose degree requirements are completed by the established deadlines are authorized to participate in the formal December or May Commencement ceremony. Students who do not apply for graduation before the published deadline for any semester may apply for graduation during the next semester. Students who have applied for graduation but fail to meet the requirements must reapply for graduation by the published deadline for the semester in which they will fulfill the requirements. Degrees are conferred only after all requirements are completed and the Board of Trustees has taken official action.