Skip to main content
Standard homeW&M Grad home
Main Ceremonies

Tickets

Tickets are electronic and will be emailed to graduates in early October. Graduates may then forward the tickets to their guests to display on their phone, or guests may print out the tickets to be scanned.

If using a phone, guests should have the tickets open and ready for scanning when you reach the entry gate. Each ticket scans only once, so electronic tickets may not be duplicated.

Mask Requirement

Guests must wear a mask in order to enter Kaplan Arena. Ushers will not scan tickets of guests who are not wearing a mask.

Prohibited Items

The prohibited items list is for the enjoyment and safety of Commencement guests. This list is subject to change as conditions warrant. 

  • Backpacks (exceptions: diaper bags, string backpacks)
  • Bags measuring larger than 1’ x 1’ x 1’
  • Outside food & drink (except for factory sealed non-alcoholic beverages, no larger than one liter; juice boxes, factory sealed infant snacks, and baby food). 
  • Camera tripods / monopods / selfie-sticks
  • Firearms and other weapons
  • Laptop computers
  • Alcohol, use of any tobacco products, or illegal substances
  • E-cigarettes and vapor apparatuses
  • Noisemakers, laser pointers, balls, frisbees, inflatable objects
  • Coolers, ice chests
  • Pets
  • Strollers
  • Umbrellas
  • Anything deemed unsafe by police or event staff

Seating

  • Download the seating diagram (pdf)
  • Some rows will be blocked off in order to maintain social distancing between groups
  • Guests may sit together with their own social group, but should separate from other guest groups by at least 3 seats
  • Seating for guests is General Admission
  • Children 2 and younger do not require a ticket
  • Graduates will be seated on the arena floor
  • Graduates participating in the ceremony do not require a ticket.

Accessibility Accommodations

  • Wheelchair/limited mobility guests will be able to drop-off at the access ramp (pdf) behind Kaplan Arena.
  • Guests who can climb some steps will be ushered to lower rows of seating we have reserved and may sit with one companion.
  • Guests who cannot climb stairs will be ushered to the limited mobility seating area on the arena floor and may sit with one companion.
  • Guests in wheelchairs or scooters will be ushered to the limited mobility seating area on the arena floor and may sit with one companion.
  • We will have American Sign Language interpreters at each ceremony. Guests requiring live ASL interpretation will receive a vehicle access pass in order to drop off at the access ramp.
  • Live closed captioning will be available on the ceremony livestreams.

Ceremony Timeline

  • Doors will open one hour before each ceremony's start time.
  • The ceremony begins with the student processional entering the arena.
  • Each ceremony will last approximately two hours.
  • Each graduate will cross the stage to have their name read.

Exiting the Arena

At the end of the ceremony, students will process out of the arena. Once students have exited, we ask all guests to pick up any personal belongings, deposit trash and recycling in the appropriate bins, and exit the arena as efficiently as possible so that we can prepare for the next ceremony.

We also ask guests to please move their vehicles shortly after the ceremony ends so that we can prepare parking for the next ceremony.