Full Regalia (caps, gowns, hoods): Walk Across Campus & Commencement Ceremonies

Caps/Gowns (no hoods): Candlelight Ceremony (tassel on the right side of the mortar board)

Graduates participating in the main ceremony must wear the W&M-approved regalia. Regalia consist of a robe, a cap, a tassel, and a hood with colors indicating the graduate's degree. How to wear your hood.

Military: Active duty or retired members of the U.S. armed services may have the option to wear a military uniform appropriate for the occasion at commencement ceremonies.

Hood Colors: Arts (White), Business (Drab-Tan), Science (Gold), Education (Light Blue), Public Policy (Peacock Blue) (color is different than Education hood)

Tassel: The tassel is worn on the right side of the mortar board until the degree is awarded, at which time it is moved to the left. For graduate students who have already earned an undergraduate degree, the tassel remains on the left side of the mortar board.

Mortar Boards: These may be decorated, but may not display inappropriate or obscene messages.

• Do not exceed the dimensions of the flat mortar board.
• Do not create anything that will distract your fellow graduates from enjoying what is also their ceremony.
• Do not create anything that may offend a future employer.

Clothing Underneath: Type of dress for underneath the robe is up to the graduating student. However, it should be tasteful and appropriate. We suggest business or business casual attire.

Graduates of the Class of 2024 will have the opportunity to ring the Wren Bell on their last day of classes.

• Graduate Students: Friday, April 26, noon to 2 p.m.
• Undergraduate & Remaining Graduate Students: Friday, May 3, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Line-up will begin outside the courtyard fence (on the Sunken Garden side of the Wren Building). Volunteers will be there to assist.
• No food or drink is permitted inside the Wren Building.
• The entire process can take anywhere from 5-45 minutes, depending on how many students are in line to ring the bell when you arrive.

• Wednesday, May 15
• 9 p.m. to midnight
• Sunken Garden
• Come dance the night away at the traditional senior class dance! Ticket purchase required.

• Thursday, May 16
• 9:30 p.m.
• Wren Building
• Tradition holds that the graduating class selects one student, one staff, and a member of the faculty to give brief remarks to graduates. The ceremony provides an opportunity for the Class of 2024 to celebrate and reflect on their time at the university. Class of 2024 graduates wear cap and gown (tassel positioned on right side of mortar board).

Tickets are electronic and will be emailed to graduates in mid-May. You may then forward the tickets to your guests to display on their phone, or they may print out their tickets to be scanned. If using a phone, they should have the tickets open and ready for scanning when they reach the entry gate. Each ticket scans only once, so electronic tickets may not be duplicated.

In the event of severe weather, the ceremony will be moved indoors to Kaplan Arena. Due to limited seating capacity inside Kaplan, graduates will receive fewer guest tickets for the inside location (exact number to be determined in April, after registration has closed). Only guests presenting all-weather tickets (valid in both Zable & Kaplan) will be permitted to enter Kaplan Arena.

Alcohol and non-disposable water bottles. Beverage containers will be collected and will not be returned.

Review the full list of prohibited items.

Learn about the clear bag policy.

Once you arrive at Zable or Kaplan (severe weather), you will be directed to your line-up location (pdf) by staff volunteers. If you DO NOT plan to participate in the Walk Across Campus, you will need to meet at the Sadler terrace or Kaplan Arena by 6:15 p.m. You will receive further instructions about where to be and when.

Degree candidates will be seated on the field of Zable or, in the case of severe weather, on the floor/stands of Kaplan. Graduate degree candidates will sit with their schools. Bachelor's candidates are not required to sit with their major.

• Zable seating diagram (pdf)
• Kaplan seating diagram (severe weather) (pdf)

Will be distributed by departments on Saturday. Degree candidates do not cross the stage or have their name read at Friday evening's ceremony. Instead, you will cross the stage and have your name read at your departmental event on Saturday.

Please remain at your seats until the official party and faculty have recessed out.