Program Includes:

• Presentation of Carroll Medal, Newman Medal, President's Medal, and Milch Award
• Presentation of Honorary Degrees
• Commencement Address
• Conferral of Degrees

General Information

The 2020 Commencement Ceremony will be held at the Royal Farms Arena, formerly Baltimore Arena (201 W. Baltimore Street) on Saturday, May 16. Doors to the arena will open at 9 a.m. and the processional will begin at 10:45 a.m. The Commencement program begins promptly at 11 a.m. and should end around 1:30 p.m. 

Tickets for Commencement are not required and the number of guests each individual graduate may bring is unlimited.

Graduates and their families and friends are encouraged to leave ample time to arrive at the arena. The University strongly suggests that families stay at hotels in close proximity to Royal Farms Arena to avoid traffic and parking delays.

Royal Farms Arena has increased all security measures and now implements walk through metal detectors. ALL bags will be searched upon entry to the Arena. Bags larger than 13 5/8" x 15 1/4" WILL NOT be permitted. There are lockers available to rent for your convenience. 

Small personal cameras (no large detachable lenses) and camera phones are permitted. Weapons of any kind, professional cameras, video cameras, Go-pros, iPads, tablets, and Selfie Sticks are strictly prohibited. Visitors exiting the building will not be allowed re-entry.

We will provide a live stream of the Commencement Exercises and the Baccalaureate Mass for those unable to attend the ceremony. The link to the live stream will be available on the Commencement homepage.

Hotel Information

View the Hotel Information page for more information regarding accommodations.

Parking Information

Parking is available for Commencement on city streets and in paid parking garages located near the Arena.

Disability Support Information

Persons who require disability support for the Commencement Ceremony should view the Disability Support Information page.

Apparel Information

Caps, gowns, and other academic apparel should be purchased well in advance of the Commencement Ceremony at the Graduation Fair or online. Information will be sent out in February. Learn more about academic apparel.

Commencement Photography

During the ROTC Commissioning and the Special Awards and Departmental Medals Ceremony on Friday and the Commencement on Saturday, Grad Images photographers will be available to take pictures of the graduates as they receive congratulations from the University's President. Proofs and information related to ordering Commencement photographs will be sent directly to each graduate approximately 2-4 weeks after graduation.

For more information, visit the Grad Images website.

Please note: Family and friends may take their own photographs and videos at any of the Commencement events, but should be careful not to interfere with the ceremonies themselves or the professional photographers.

Commencement DVDs

The Loyola University Maryland Alumni Association will provide a complimentary DVD of the ceremony to all undergraduate and graduate students that attend Commencement. Additional copies of the DVD can be purchased for $10.00. 

Click here to request additional copies of the 2019 Commencement ceremony.

Bookstore and Flower Information

The Loyola University Maryland Bookstore will also be open from 3-5 p.m. The Bookstore will sell merchandise at Royal Farms Arena before the Commencement ceremony.

To order flowers online that will be available for pick-up at Royal Farms Arena the day of graduation, please visit our website.