Commencement – Celebrating Achievement on Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is extra special at Gonzaga, as it is also they day we recognize the accomplishments of our senior students with a commencement ceremony at the Spokane Arena. We welcome all the family and friends who have supported students to join in our celebration events – there is no guest limit, and no tickets are required for Commencement Mass on Saturday or the Commencement ceremony on Sunday. Please join us May 11-13, 2018 for Commencement Weekend.
Families coming to celebrate should arrive in Spokane by the afternoon of Friday, May 11, as there are a handful of special event features that evening and Saturday morning. These are typically private events, so watch for invitations. The full schedule of Commencement Weekend activities will be announced on the commencement website February 1. For now, book your lodging, using your favorite travel planning tool or agent to get the best deal. Most hotels in the area will require a 2-night stay on this busy weekend.
Commencement Mass is on Saturday, May 12 from 3:30-5:00 p.m. in McCarthey Athletic Center. Students are invited to wear their ceremony gowns and process into special seating together – lineup is at 3 p.m. Doors open for open seating at 2:30 p.m. and event staff will assist with special mobility needs.
Undergraduate Commencement ceremony is Sunday, May 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Spokane Arena. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. for open seating, and staff will be available to assist with mobility needs. Students need to check-in for lineup at by 8:45 a.m. Following the ceremony, guests are welcome to a light-fare reception back on campus on the Quad Lawn until 2 p.m.
Seniors are required to wear customized attire to participate in the ceremony. The Herff Jones rental set is $53, including the keeper cap and tassel. Attire accessories are limited to approved items representing academic honors or an academic honor society. Cap decoration is okay, as long as it is positive, prudent, within the confines of the cap border, and no more than 2-inches high. Attire ordering begins November 15 and closes March 15. Students can pick up attire beginning Monday, May 7 in the Zag Shop, and return the gown and hood to the Zag Shop before 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 13.
Graduation and ceremony announcements from Jostens are available anytime. Packages range from $108 to $235. Orders arrive in two weeks. Jostens is also our exclusive ring provider, and they feature sales in the Zag Shop, on occasion, or you can order from their site.
Flowers and leis are available through the Center for Cura Personalis, as a fundraiser to support wellness programs. The order link will be ready in February, with a typical order deadline of mid-March.
Ceremony photos by Grad Images will be available June 1. Graduated seniors will get an email containing a link to the digital proofs, or you can access their site from the commencement website.
Ceremony videos by Graduation Nation will be available June 1. The order link is available from the commencement website.
Many details and all vendor links are currently available here. On May 1, you will find more on the website — the digital version of the ceremony booklet, a student seating map and protocols, and links to text captioning.
We look forward to having the supporters of our senior students join us to celebrate the culmination of their academic careers, May 11-13, 2018. If you have any questions, please contact Angela Ruff at 509-313-3572 or ruff@gonzaga.edu.