How long is the ceremony?
Ceremony lengths depend on many factors including number of graduates, speakers, and faculty awards and honors. Typically, the Graduate ceremony has been around 2-2.5 hours in length and the Undergraduate ceremony has been around 2.5-3 hours in length.
Cap and Gown Packages
We are excited to announce our new partner, Jostens, and our new custom regalia package.
All undergraduate and graduate students participating in the commencement ceremonies MUST purchase their cap and gown packages online directly through our vendor, Jostens, no later than March 3 in order to participate in the May ceremonies. There will be no approvals to borrow gowns from past years due to the gown package change for 2025. Packages can be ordered online; at the Jostens Premiere Days on Jan 21 and March 3; or at the Grad Fair on February 7, 2025. If you have not purchased a cap and gown prior to the order deadline (March 3) we will assume that you are not planning to walk in the ceremony. Senior Send-Off Cap and Gown Pick Up is Tuesday April 15, 4-7 p.m. in the Campus Center Ballroom.
If you are unable to pick up your cap & gown or your rain site wristbands on Tuesday April 15, please stop by the Pio Shop during their normal store hours beginning April 16 to pick up these items, or email them to make pick-up arrangements. bookstore@carrollu.edu
Commencement Attire
All candidates who participate in the commencement exercise must wear the university-approved academic attire. University-approved caps, gowns, tassels and hoods must be purchased through Jostens. Undergraduate regalia consists of a cap, university stole, tassel, and gown. Cords may be worn only by graduates achieving Latin Honors. Masters and Doctoral degree candidate regalia consists of cap, tassel, master's or doctoral gown*, and program degree hood. All students are welcome and encouraged to decorate their graduation caps to show their individuality and uniqueness, and to celebrate their time here at Carroll.
*Please note that master's and doctoral gowns are denoted by their unique sleeve shape which are each different than those of the undergraduate gowns.
Graduation Latin Honors
Graduation honors based on the cumulative grade point average (GPA)* are awarded to those students who have completed all requirements for the degree: summa cum laude requires a GPA starting at 3.9 on a 4.0 scale; magna cum laude requires a GPA starting at 3.6; cum laude requires a GPA starting at 3.4. In order to be eligible for honors, a student must complete at Carroll, one-half of the hours (currently 64) required for graduation:
The student must earn at least 64 credits from Carroll University with no more than 8 of those credits being graded Pass/Fail.
Since a student with transfer work has a Carroll and an overall GPA, the lower of the two GPAs determines eligibility for honors and placement into one of the above three honors categories.
*The GPA is not rounded up.
Second degree graduation honors will be awarded to students who have completed all requirements for the degree. There must be a minimum of 32 letter-graded credits completed at Carroll University. The entire undergraduate record is considered and, if there is transfer work, the lower of the Carroll or overall grade point average (GPA)* determines eligibility for honors and placement into one of the three following categories: summa cum laude requires a GPA starting at 3.9 on a 4.0 scale; magna cum laude requires a GPA starting at 3.6; cum laude requires a GPA starting at 3.4.
- Cum Laude graduates will wear a single orange cord
- Magna Cum Laude graduates will wear a double cord of orange and navy
- Summa Cum Laude gradates will wear a triple cord of orange, navy and white
Graduation Honors for the Commencement program are calculated at the end of the Fall semester and are based on the cumulative grade point average and the Carroll GPA, whichever is lower:
Final honors standings for official transcripts are calculated at the end of the spring semester, after graduation. With that, it is possible for the two calculations to differ as a student could go up or down depending on the final spring semester grades.
How do I make a donation toward the 2025 Senior Class Gift Campaign?
Your Senior Class Gift Committee invites you to participate in the 2025 Senior Class Gift campaign beginning in January 2025 by making a donation to The Carroll Fund that benefits every student, teacher, program, and department on campus.
If you have any questions, email ctrione@carrollu.edu.
Do my guests need tickets?
No. Our ceremony is held on Main Lawn, where we are able to accommodate all guests. Students will pick up guest passes at Senior Send-Off Cap and Gown Pick Up, in the event that Commencement is moved indoor for inclement weather. (The number of guest passes is calculated in December when the preliminary list of graduating students is compiled.) If you cannot make Senior Sendoff, you may pick up your wristbands in the Pio Shop during normal store hours beginning April 16. Any wristbands not picked up by 3:00 p.m. on May 8 will be taken over to Shattuck for student check-in.
Can guests attend Baccalaureate?
Yes, absolutely! Baccalaureate is a time-honored Carroll tradition that gathers graduates, students, faculty, staff and families to bless the graduating classes as they embark upon the next chapter in their journey. The Baccalaureate Service begins promptly on Friday, May 9 at 3 p.m. in Shattuck Auditorium.
Do my guests need chairs?
No. Chairs are provided for all attendees on Main Lawn.
What time should we arrive?
Graduates are asked to check into Shattuck Hall at least one hour before their ceremony. (4:30 p.m. for Graduate and 8:30 a.m. for Undergraduate.) Parking lots and shuttles will be staffed 1.5 hours before each ceremony. Main Lawn seating will open one hour before each ceremony.
Where can I park?
Parking is available in all lots on campus except for Lot 3 (Campus Center) is handicapped parking only and Lot 6 (Voorhees) is for emergency vehicles and handicapped drop-off only.
Can I take photos or video?
Guests are welcome to take photos and video. Each graduate will also be photographed by a professional photography company as they receive their diploma and also a solo portrait after they exit the stage. Portrait registration and photographers will be available at the January and March Jostens premiere days in the Campus Center, at the February Grad Fair, and at the April Cap and Gown pick up. Additionally, each ceremony is livestreamed thanks to our videography team. Livestream videos will be archived and available after the Commencement ceremony.
Will there be concessions or food available?
Yes. We will have several available options for both Graduate Commencement and Undergraduate Commencement.
Friday May 9
- Stone Creek Coffee (located in the first floor of the library) | 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
- Gert's Grab and Go (located in the first floor of the Campus Center) | 3:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
- Concessions stand | 3:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Saturday May 10
- Stone Creek Coffee (located in the first floor of the library) | 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
- Gert's Grab and Go (located in the first floor of the Campus Center) | 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
- Concessions stand | 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
- Crave (located in Frontier Hall on Grand Ave) | 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Are noisemakers, balloons, or confetti allowed?
No. When planning to attend commencement, the following items are NOT permitted on the Carroll University campus:
- Artificial noisemakers
- Weapons/firearms
- Drones
- Fireworks
- Confetti poppers
- Balloons
Our Public Safety Department, Facilities staff and Groundkeepers thank you for your understanding and cooperation to help keep the campus safe and beautiful.
Are pets allowed?
Only ADA Service animals are allowed on campus. Thank you for your cooperation.
Is there a designated smoking/vaping area on campus?
No. In order to provide a healthy working and living environment for Carroll’s students, staff, faculty and neighbors, Carroll University is a tobacco-free campus. The use of tobacco and electronic nicotine delivery systems is not permitted in university buildings, on university grounds or in university-owned vehicles. There are no designated smoking areas on campus.