Commencement Celebrate. Graduate.

Update about Spring 2020 Commencement

[Posted March 16, 2020] The health of our Volunteer family, the surrounding communities and the nation remains our top priority. Due to COVID-19, UT has taken many measures to slow the spread of the disease and maintain the academic progress of our students. One measure is the cancellation of all UT events for the remainder of the semester, including commencement ceremonies. UT leaders and commencement coordinators are working to reimagine how to celebrate this important moment in students’ and families’ lives.

COVID-19 is a quickly evolving situation. At this point, all graduating students will receive information from UT, not directly from the college, as UT leaders manage many decisions for the benefit and health of our students, faculty, staff, friends and families.

UT leaders and we in the college know this is a disappointment. The decision was not made lightly, and we share in your disappointment. Please watch for updates from UT and ultimately from us about potential plans for a reimagined celebration.

Graduation Celebration

Because UT cancelled events, our college’s Graduation Celebration (reception and exhibit of graduating students’ work) has been cancelled. We are working to determine how to share students’ work in other ways. If you have ideas, send them to Julie Beckman, julie.beckman@utk.edu.

Your best source of accurate information about UT’s response to COVID-19 is utk.edu/coronavirus. Please check it often.

Graduation Application Deadlines:

• Spring 2020 candidates – last day of fall 2019 classes (Wednesday, December 4, 2019)
  • Submit your application as soon as possible if you will be graduating in the Spring 2020 semester.
• Summer 2020 candidates – last day of spring 2020 classes (Friday, April 24, 2020)

The graduation application can be located by logging into your MyUTK account.

• Graduation
• Deadlines to Apply for Graduation
• Undergraduate Graduation Deadlines
• Steps to Graduation (Undergraduates)
• Steps to Graduation (Graduates)
• Frequently Asked Questions (Undergraduates)

This information is retained but no longer in effect: Details about Commencement

College of Architecture and Design Commencement and Hooding Ceremony (this includes Undergraduate/Bachelor candidates and Graduate/Master candidates from the college): Thursday, May 7 at 9:00 a.m. at Thompson Boling Assembly Center and Arena

University Graduate Hooding Ceremony (Graduate/Master’s Candidates only): Thursday, May 7 at 7:00 p.m. at Thompson Boling Assembly Center and Arena

Spring 2020 Commencement Ceremony Information

• A mandatory meeting for all students participating in the spring commencement will be held on Wednesday, January 8th in A+A 103 A at 5:45 p.m.
• Students who graduate in Fall 2019 or Summer 2020 may participate in the college’s spring commencement ceremony
• Mandatory Commencement Ceremony Walkthrough: Wednesday, May 6, 12 p.m. For more information, please contact Jennifer Flatford.
• Graduation Celebration, a reception and exhibit of graduate work, will be held after the college’s spring ceremony from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. in the Art + Architecture Building and Humanities Grove.

General Information:

• Graduation
• Graduation Ceremonies 
• Deadlines to Apply for Graduation
• Undergraduate Graduation Deadlines
• Steps to Graduation (Undergraduates)
• Steps to Graduation (Graduates)
• Frequently Asked Questions (Undergraduates)

Day-of Commencement Information:

• Security Protocols
• Accommodations for Guests with Disabilities

Streaming:

• Non-captioned
• Captioned

Parking and Transportation:

• Parking at Thompson-Boling Arena

Bookstore/VolShop:

• Grad Finale – February 17 – 19, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom.
• Interior Architecture Hoods: Available to borrow from the ASID/IIDA President or to purchase

• The college’s commencement on Thursday, May 7 includes hooding and is a rather intimate ceremony for the approximately 100 graduates of the College of Architecture and Design and their 900 guests. This ceremony includes welcoming comments, short speeches by elected student speakers from each degree program, hooding and conferring of diplomas.
• Commencement will last approximately 1.5 to 2 hours; tickets are not required.
• Guest parking for commencement can be found here.
• Please click here for the security information regarding commencement.
• Graduation Celebration is a special event in the college, which combines our traditional reception at the A+A Building and nearby Humanities Grove with a showcase of graduating students’ work. Graduation Celebration is May 7, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. The free event is for graduates, families, friends and alumni.
• Some student organizations have special graduation regalia, such as honor cords or stoles. If you are a member of an organization, your president or designated officer will let you know what to order or rent.
• The Office of the Dean will order cords for the following: Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Cum Laude. Honors and Levels of Distinction can be found here.
• Students who do not plan to participate in commencement also have requirements before receiving their diplomas. Please watch for information from Jennifer Flatford, 865-974-6714.
• The University of Tennessee offers a university-wide graduate hooding ceremony on Thursday, May 7, 2020, at Thompson-Boling Arena. This is for 2020 M. Arch and MLA graduates, families and friends. Tickets are not required. Details on graduate/master-level deadlines are at http://gradschool.utk.edu/graduation/graduation-deadlines/.