Commencement

All eligible students are required to submit an application to graduate through their Colleague Self-Service account in the Okta portal. Students should click on "Graduation Overview" to apply.

Please contact the Office of the Registrar with questions about how to apply, graduate readiness notification (audit status), information about collecting special honors medallions and information about receiving your diploma by mail.

PLEASE NOTE: For information about eligibility to participate in the graduation ceremonies, visit the Graduating and Degree Auditing page for the current policies and procedures.

The robes, hoods, caps, cords, medallions, and other accessories worn by students, faculty, and staff comprise “academic regalia.” Review Dominican’s Academic Regalia guide for details on what graduates wear for the Commencement ceremony. 

Please review this regalia guide for more information.

Commencement regalia is available to purchase in person in the campus bookstore, located in Fanjeaux Hall, 180 Palm Ave, San Rafael. You may also purchase regalia here https://www.bkstr.com/dominicancalstore/shop/graduation 

Students living on campus should use their usual campus mailing address, including 50 Acacia Ave. Do not use the physical address of your dormitory or the Edgehill Village apartments.

There is no deadline to order regalia, but we encourage you to purchase your regalia as soon as possible to ensure that what you need will be in stock.

Tickets will be provided to each graduate electronically using HomeTown Ticketing digital ticketing service. Each graduate will receive a separate email after Thanksgiving break with detailed instructions about how to access tickets, and how to join a waitlist for extra tickets.

Due to the large number of students participating and limited seating capacity in Angelico Hall, we must limit the number of tickets to four (4) tickets per undergraduate student and three (3) tickets per graduate student. Graduates do not need a ticket themselves.

The ceremony will be livestreamed virtually as well as on campus for additional guests who wish to celebrate and take photographs on campus. 

8:45 - 9:15 a.m. – Students Arrive & Gather for Processional

Come fully dressed in academic regalia (gown and mortarboard). Undergraduate students gather at Guzman Hall.

All students should check in and pick up a name card, which students should hold during the ceremony; DO NOT lose your card. If you would like, you may write your name phonetically on your card. Line up according to the school in which you are enrolled. Students do not have to march in alphabetical order, but they do have to march with their school.

9 a.m. – Commencement Venue Opens to Guests

Angelico Hall will be closed until this time, at which point we will allow only those guests with tickets entry to the venue.

9:45 a.m. – Commencement Procession Leaves

Students process from Guzman Hall to Angelico Concert Hall, guided by ushers. The procession of graduating students and faculty will leave Guzman Hall around 9:45 a.m. - with or without you - please do not be late! After you enter the venue, please be seated.

10 a.m. – Commencement Ceremony Begins

Once the ceremony begins, students will remain seated until escorted by ushers to the stage. Onstage, each student will be prompted to hand their name card to the Academic Dean, who will read your name. Students are guided to center stage to receive a diploma from President Pitchford. Ushers will guide students back to their seats. Out of respect for all our graduates and guests, students should remain seated through the conclusion of the ceremony. The ceremony should last about one hour.

Summary

• Undergraduate students arrive at Guzman Hall between 8:45 a.m. and 9:15 a.m.
• Come fully dressed in academic regalia (gown and mortarboard) and pick up a card with your name on it at one of three tables, organized by school.
• Line up according to the school in which you are enrolled. Students do not have to march in alphabetical order, but they do have to march with their school.
• When your school is called to receive your diploma, you will hand your card to the Dean, who will read your name as you walk across the stage to collect your diploma. If your name may be difficult to pronounce, please be sure it is written phonetically on your card.

11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. – Students Arrive & Gather for Processional

Come fully dressed in academic regalia (gown, hood and mortarboard). Graduate students gather at Guzman Hall.

All students should check in and pick up a name card, which students should hold during the ceremony; DO NOT lose your card. If you would like, you may write your name phonetically on your card. Line up according to the school in which you are enrolled. Students do not have to march in alphabetical order, but they do have to march with their school.

Noon – Commencement Venue Opens to Guests

Angelico Hall will be closed until this time, at which point we will allow only those guests with tickets entry to the venue.

12:45 p.m. – Commencement Procession Leaves

Students process from Guzman Hall to Angelico Concert Hall, guided by ushers. The procession of graduating students and faculty will leave Guzman Hall around 12:45 p.m. - with or without you - please do not be late! After you enter the venue, please be seated.

1 p.m. – Commencement Ceremony Begins

Once the ceremony begins, students will remain seated until escorted by ushers to the stage. Onstage, each student will be prompted to hand their name card to the Academic Dean, who will read your name. Students are guided to center stage to receive a diploma from President Pitchford. Ushers will guide students back to their seats. Out of respect for all our graduates and guests, students should remain seated through the conclusion of the ceremony. The ceremony should last about one hour.

Summary

• Graduate students arrive at Guzman Hall between 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.
• Come fully dressed in academic regalia (gown, hood and mortarboard) and pick up a card with your name on it at one of three tables, organized by school.
• Line up according to the school in which you are enrolled. Students do not have to march in alphabetical order, but they do have to march with their school.
• When your school is called to receive your diploma, you will hand your card to the Dean, who will read your name as you walk across the stage to collect your diploma. If your name may be difficult to pronounce, please be sure it is written phonetically on your card.

Fall Commencement will be held in Angelico Concert Hall in two separate ceremonies. 

• The Undergraduate ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. (though graduating students should check-in between 8:45 and 9:15 a.m., see above), and will last about one hour.
• The Graduate ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. (though graduating students should check-in between 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., see above), and will last about one hour. 

Yes; this is a ticketed event. Each graduating student will receive a certain number of guest tickets based on the number of graduates participating in each ceremony. Tickets will be provided electronically using HomeTown Ticketing digital ticketing service approximately two weeks prior to the event. Guests without tickets will not be allowed entry to the venue. Graduating students do not need a ticket in order to participate in the ceremony.

Lap children 3 years old and younger may attend without a ticket.  We encourage your guests to arrive more than 30 minutes prior to the ceremony to ensure they find an available seat. Doors will open for the Undergraduate ceremony at 9 a.m. and for the Graduate ceremony at noon.

The Registrar’s Office will know if there are extra tickets available approximately one week before the event, after most students have claimed their tickets. Information about how to join a waitlist for extra tickets will be sent in the same email that includes instructions on how to claim tickets.

We encourage students to network with their graduating peers. Often students do not need all of their allotted tickets and can transfer them to a fellow graduate. Alternatively, loved ones without tickets may tune into the ceremony on Penguin Radio or watch the livestream from home or on campus.

Commencement will be livestreamed (audio and video) and broadcast on Penguin Radio.

Guests without tickets are welcome to join us on campus to watch the livestream in a nearby location before gathering with their graduate outside Angelico Hall to celebrate and take photographs.

We encourage guests to carpool or take public transportation. If driving to campus, budget ample time for parking (which is very limited) and walking to the event site.

• Graduating students should park cars along Magnolia (near the Magnolia House and Caleruega) or in the residence hall lots at Edgehill Village and Fanjeaux Hall.
• Guests should park
  • On Grand Avenue or within the main campus core
  • In the Conlan Center lot on Grand Avenue
  • In the Belle Avenue lot
• All other on-campus parking is reserved for staff, faculty, and trustees. 
• We discourage guests from parking in the immediate neighborhood as a courtesy to our campus neighbors. 

There are limited accessible spaces on the Dominican campus. If you have a guest with mobility needs, we recommend driving the guest to Angelico Concert Hall and then parking your vehicle. Guests with limited mobility should consider a wheelchair, for which special seating will be available in the venue on a first-come, first served basis.

Please complete the Commencement Accommodations Request form if you are a guest or will accompany a guest in need of accommodations.

Please complete the Commencement Accommodations Request form if you are a guest or will accompany a guest in need of a disability accommodation for Commencement.

Because of the high demand for sign language interpreters, we must confirm if an interpreter will be needed as soon as possible. Please let us know by November 5 if an interpreter is needed. For questions about accommodations for disabilities and hearing impairments, including ASL interpretation, please complete the Commencement Accommodations Request form.

We recommend arriving early, especially if your guest requires a seat in our accessible section, as these tend to fill up quite quickly. "Saving" blocks of seats for guests arriving late is not allowed. The venue will have enough seating for ticketed guests.

A professional photographer will be at Commencement, shooting candid photographs and photographing students as they cross the stage. Only the official Dominican photographer will be allowed inside the venue to capture the event. We do not allow guests to leave their seats or block aisles to take photos. 

We hope all graduating students will participate in Commencement when they become eligible, but it’s not required. If you participate, formal regalia is required and we ask that you stay through the duration of the ceremony out of respect for other graduates and their families. 

When you cross the stage, you will receive a diploma cover with a letter inside stating that your diploma will be mailed to you in early spring. Please make sure the Registrar's Office has your correct (non-campus) mailing address.

Book accommodations (hotels or home-stay sites) as soon as possible. There are often competing events that take place in/around Marin the same weekend as Commencement. 

See our visitor guide for area directions and area information. 

If after reviewing this information you have specific questions or need additional information or clarification, please contact the appropriate office/department listed below. Please be sure to read through all of the information as there is a great deal of info – and likely the answer to your question.