Commencement 2022

• Please meet at Conlan Center between 8 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. 
• Come fully dressed in academic regalia (gown, hood, and mortarboard)
• A photographer will take a picture of you as you enter to check-in at Conlan Recreation Center. If you arrive late, you may miss out on getting your photo taken. 
• Pick up a card with your name on it at one of four 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. 

After you enter the tent, please be seated. When your school is called to receive your diploma, ushers will invite you to stand and process single-file to the stage; you will hand your card to the dean of your school 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. The ceremony should last about two hours. Dominican staff will serve as ushers and help you know where to walk, stand, and sit at what times; please be attentive to instructions. 

The ceremony will be followed by a cookies and lemonade reception on Forest Meadows lawn. 

Registration is required to log into our interactive commencement live-stream. We encourage you to register in advance, but you may also register on the day of the event. Share this link with family and friends who will not be attending in person: https://duc.sharedstudios.live/. #ThisIsDUC

12:30 p.m. - 3 p.m. - Family Picnic and Celebration  (Optional)

Enjoy this time to say farewell to friends, faculty and staff. 

Students and families are invited to use the campus grounds for family gatherings and celebration. The lunch order deadline was May 8th. Lunch orders are now closed.

Commencement will be held under a tent set up on the Forest Meadows field adjacent to the Conlan Recreation Center. The tent has open sides to allow for maximum airflow. Please remind your guests to be prepared for weather and walking on turf. The ceremony will begin at 10am, and will end at approximately noon. Guests should remain seated until the Ceremony is finished. 

IMPORTANT: The ceremony is outdoors; guests should dress comfortably, wear flat/comfortable shoes, and wear sunscreen and to bring water if it is warm. Guests who lack the stamina to sit through a long ceremony should consider their health before committing to attend. 

Each graduating student will receive 4 tickets for the commencement event.  Ticket holders will have access to seating under or immediately outside the tent area.  Guests without tickets will not be allowed entry to the venue - but can watch the ceremony via web broadcast (information coming soon). We encourage your guests to arrive prior to 9:30 a.m. to ensure they find an available seat. Gates will open at 8:30 a.m.

The following COVID measures are planned for Commencement (subject to change based on public health guidance): 

• The event will be held in a large outdoor tent with open sides. 
• Attendees will be required to wear a mask inside buildings and inside the tent, except when on stage.
• Attendees who are sick, having symptoms, or within their isolation period based on a recent COVID+ test, should not attend the event. 
• In accordance with current California public health guidance, Dominican will not require guests to provide proof of vaccination or testing to enter the event. 
• Live-streaming will be available for those who cannot attend in-person.

We encourage your guests to carpool or take public transportation. If driving to campus, we recommend budgeting 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, so that guests can use the Conlan parking lot. 
• Guests should expect to park along Grand Avenue or within the main campus core and will have to walk from their cars.
• Guests may also park in the Conlan Rec Center, though space is limited, and will fill early in the morning.
• 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 few accessible spaces available, but please note the San Rafael Police Department will strictly enforce parking regulations, including the monitoring of accessible parking spaces. If you have a guest with mobility needs, it might be best to have someone drop that guest off near Conlan Recreation Center. Also, if the person has trouble walking, consider a wheelchair for this occasion. Some special seating for people with disabilities are available on a first-come, first served basis.

A limited number of ADA audio enhancing headsets will be available at the event for the hearing-impaired. The event will also be live-streamed with interactive participation.

Because of the high demand for sign language interpreters, we must confirm if an interpreter will be needed as soon as possible. To request accommodations for disabilities and hearing impairments, including ASL interpretation, please contact accessibility@dominican.edu. 

The commencement ceremony begins at 10 a.m. and should end between noon and 12:30 p.m. Please be advised to arrive early, as the ceremony will start on time.

Unfortunately we cannot guarantee a seat for every guest. 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. 

A professional photographer will be at Commencement, shooting both candid and posed photographs of the graduates. Only the official Dominican photographer will be allowed inside the roped-off areas to capture the event. The photographer will take a posed photograph of every student as they enter Conlan Recreation Center. Students should arrive between 8:00 and 8:30 am to allow time for posed photographs.

There is no requirement to attend the Commencement ceremony. Of course we would like you there, but there is no mandate to participate in the ceremony if you choose not to do so. If you participate, we ask that you stay through the duration of the ceremony out of respect for other graduates and their families. 

Unpredictable! Some years, it can be over 100°, and other years (like in 2019) it can be 55° and pouring rain. Remind your guests to dress comfortably for the projected weather.

Because the event is on the grass field, it is wise to wear flat/comfortable shoes. If sun is forecast; bring water to drink and wear sunscreen. If rain is forecast; plan on getting very wet. Guests who lack the stamina to sit outdoors through a long ceremony should consider their health before committing to attend.
 

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 late summer.

Please make sure the Office of the Registrar has your correct (non-campus) mailing address.

Please 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.

If you have specific questions or need additional information or clarification, please contact the appropriate office/department listed below: